New Delhi: The Delhi High Court issued a notice to Congress Lok Sabha member Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday regarding a plea filed by BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar, challenging the dismissal of his defamation complaint.
Justice Ravinder Dudeja, presiding over a single-judge Bench, sought Tharoor’s response to Chandrasekhar’s revision petition, which contests the decision of a magisterial court that refused to summon the Congress leader. The matter is scheduled for further hearing on September 16.
The defamation complaint stems from an interview given by Tharoor during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, in which he alleged that Chandrasekhar, the BJP candidate from the Thiruvananthapuram constituency, had “bribed” key voters and influential figures, including Christian parish priests. The interview was aired on the Kerala-based channel '24 News'.
In response, Chandrasekhar moved the court, accusing Tharoor of spreading false and misleading information aimed at damaging his reputation. He issued a legal notice to Tharoor, expressing “shock” at the allegations and demanded an immediate withdrawal of the statements, along with an unconditional public apology through both print and electronic media.
Chandrashekhar argued that Tharoor’s remarks not only defamed him personally but also disrespected the Christian community in Thiruvananthapuram by suggesting their involvement in cash-for-votes activities. According to Chandrasekhar, the statements were fabricated and deliberately disseminated to influence the outcome of the election in the constituency.
However, on February 4, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Paras Dalal rejected the complaint, ruling that there were no prima facie grounds to proceed with defamation charges against Tharoor. The magistrate declined to issue a summons, stating that the necessary ingredients of defamation were not made out.
Chandrashekhar's revision plea before the High Court challenges this finding, asserting that the allegations made by Tharoor were intended to cause reputational harm and influence public perception during the election.
The High Court’s notice now places the matter before Tharoor, who must submit his response ahead of the next hearing.
With IANS inputs