A Delhi court has summoned Congress leaders Ragini Nayak, Pawan Khera, and Jairam Ramesh over a criminal complaint by journalist Rajat Sharma, citing alleged defamation and forgery through a manipulated video under multiple IPC sections.
NEW DELHI: A Delhi court has summoned Congress leaders Ragini Nayak, Pawan Khera, and Jairam Ramesh in response to a criminal complaint filed by senior journalist and television anchor Rajat Sharma. The complaint alleges defamation, forgery, and the use of a manipulated video intended to damage his reputation.
The order was issued by Judicial Magistrate First Class Devanshi Janmeja of the Saket Courts in New Delhi, concluding that there was sufficient prima facie evidence to proceed against the accused under Sections 465, 469, 471, 499, and 500 of the Indian Penal Code.
Sharma claimed that the accused inaccurately asserted that he had used derogatory language toward Ragini Nayak during a live television debate on India TV on June 4, 2024, while covering the Lok Sabha election results.
According to the complaint, Nayak shared a video clip on the social media platform X on June 10, 2024, accusing Sharma of using abusive language, with a caption that suggested the inclusion of an obscene slur. Sharma argued that this caption was not part of the original live broadcast and that the video had been manipulated.
It was further alleged that Pawan Khera and Jairam Ramesh retweeted the video, amplifying the claim and describing Sharma’s behavior as “condemnable,” while also demanding an apology, fully aware that the content was false and altered.
Sharma asserted that the tweets and press statements led millions to believe he had insulted a female panellist, resulting in significant reputational damage and mental distress.
During the inquiry, the court ordered a forensic examination of the disputed videos. The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) reported visible alterations in the videos shared by the accused, indicating that titles and captions suggested post-production editing.
The court noted that the complainant had established that no “raw footage” was available for the live broadcast, and the alleged slur had been superimposed onto the original footage, creating a false electronic record.
Additionally, the magistrate referenced a prior order from the Delhi High Court on June 14, 2024, in a civil suit filed by Sharma, which instructed the accused to remove the contentious social media posts after determining that no abusive language was used by Sharma during the debate.
The court emphasized that reputation is a fundamental aspect of the right to life protected by Article 21 of the Constitution. It found that the complainant had prima facie shown that the accused made defamatory statements with the intent to harm his reputation.
Furthermore, the court observed that the coordinated timing of the tweets and public statements indicated a shared intention among the accused to tarnish Sharma’s image.
The court stated,
“Now coming back to the question of summoning, the allegations referred above are, if seen in the entire context of the things and evidence of the complainant, prima facie seem to be defamatory if they do not fall within any of the statutory defences prescribed by law itself as well as the other legal requirements, and appear to be intending to harm the reputation of the complainant. The entire burden will be on the accused persons to plead and prove the defence on which they may rely upon, at appropriate stage.”
Consequently, the court ordered that Ragini Nayak, Pawan Khera, and Jairam Ramesh be summoned to face trial for charges related to forgery and defamation. The case is scheduled for a hearing on July 27, 2026.
Sharma is represented by Advocate Kanika Vohra.
Case Title: Rajat Sharma Vs Ragini Nayak ( CT Case 5373/2024)