Today, On 28th May, AAP leader Atishi summoned by a Delhi court in a defamation case. The case involves her claims that the BJP attempted to poach AAP MLAs. This summons follows complaints from BJP leaders alleging damage to their reputation. Atishi is required to appear in court to address these allegations.
New Delhi: The Delhi Rouse Avenue Court, On Tuesday, May 28th, summoned Delhi Education Minister Atishi to appear before the court on June 29th. This summons is in relation to a defamation case filed against Atishi by Praveen Shankar Kapoor, who is the media head of the Delhi BJP.
The defamation case stems from allegations made by Atishi that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) attempting to poach members of the legislative assembly (MLAs) from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The court has now directed Atishi to be present for the proceedings on the scheduled date in late June.
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In the defamation lawsuit, Praveen Shankar Kapoor claimed,
“Atishi was disseminating ‘untrue, concocted, and tampered assertions’ with the aim of intentionally tarnishing the reputation of the BJP and its members among the public.”
The complaint alleged,
“Through such malicious and scandalous remarks, you and your associates malign the BJP and its affiliates, seeking political advantage by leveraging press conferences to disseminate falsehoods, fully aware that these statements will propagate across all social media platforms, given your status not only as an MLA but also as a Minister in the government of NCT of Delhi.”
In 2023, Atishi, a prominent politician in Delhi, claimed that she had been approached and offered a bribe by a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader to join their party. This came at a time when Atishi hgained significant public attention following the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a money laundering case related to the excise policy of the Delhi government.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) subsequently served a notice to Atishi regarding her claims about being bribed to switch parties. This highlighted the ongoing political tensions and scrutiny in the Delhi political landscape at that time.
Atishi expressed concern, stating,
“We’ve been informed about imminent ED raids at our home, followed by potential custody. It seems the BJP is now setting its sights on the next tier of Aam Aadmi Party leadership.”
She also alleged that refusal to join the BJP could result in her arrest by the Enforcement Directorate.
The notice from the Election Commission of India stated,
“As a minister in the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi and a leader of a national party, your statements carry significant weight with the electorate. Voters tend to trust the words spoken by their leaders, and as such, your statements impact the campaign discourse. Therefore, it is essential for the statements you make to be grounded in facts. If the accuracy of your statements is questioned, you must be able to substantiate them with factual evidence. The Commission is currently investigating this matter in accordance with the Model Code of Conduct and relevant electoral laws.”
The BJP demanded a public apology for Atishi’s accusations.
Read Also: BREAKING|| BJP Leader Sues Arvind Kejriwal and Atishi for Defamation
Virendra Sachdeva, Delhi BJP chief, remarked,
“The AAP’s desperation in Delhi is evident from their unfounded allegations. However, we will not allow her to evade accountability.”
RP Singh, a BJP leader, commented,
“I could also make baseless allegations. I could claim that Saurabh Bharadwaj contacted me, seeking protection from Arvind Kejriwal’s purported intentions to imprison them and appoint Sunita Kejriwal as the CM.”
The legal action pertains to her allegations claiming that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), engaged in attempts to poach AAP MLAs. The court’s decision to issue summons highlights the intensifying legal scrutiny over political statements and the potential repercussions of public accusations between major political parties.
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