MP High Court Stays Arrest Warrant Against TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee In BJP Leader's Defamation Case
The Madhya Pradesh High Court, on Wednesday (June 24), restored the petition filed by TMC National General Secretary and Member of Parliament Abhishek Banerjee challenging arrest warrants issued by the trial court in a defamation case filed by BJP leader Akash Vijayvargia. The court also said that the execution of arrest warrant passed by the MP/MLA Court "will not be continued further"....
The Madhya Pradesh High Court, on Wednesday (June 24), restored the petition filed by TMC National General Secretary and Member of Parliament Abhishek Banerjee challenging arrest warrants issued by the trial court in a defamation case filed by BJP leader Akash Vijayvargia.
The court also said that the execution of arrest warrant passed by the MP/MLA Court "will not be continued further".
The bench of Justice Pramod Kumar Agrawal, on June 18, had dismissed the petition for want of prosecution while also vacating the interim order of November 12, 2025, which stayed the execution of the arrest warrant issued by the MP/MLA Special Judge, Bhopal.
After examining the restoration application, the bench accepted the explanation furnished by Banerjee and restored the plea to its original number for adjudication on merits.
"This application has been preferred for restoration of M.Cr.C. No. 51319/2025 which was dismissed for want of prosecution vide order dated 17.06.2026. In view of averments made in the application which is duly supported by affidavit, prayer for restoration of the case is hereby accepted. Looking to the nature of default, M.Cr.C. No. 51319/2025 is restored to its original number for being adjudicated on its own merits. Accordingly, application stands allowed"
With respect to the execution of the arrest warrant the court said:
"Looking to entire facts and circumstances though M.Cr.C. No. 51319/2025 is restored to its original number but execution of arrest warrant issued in Case No. SC PPM/2/2024 by JMFC and Special Judge, MP/MLA, Bhopal will not be continued further which was passed on 12.11.2025".
As per reports, Vijavargia, in his defamation suit, alleged that Banerjee had called the former a “goon” while addressing a rally in Kolkata in November 2020.
The court's records show that on November 12, 2025, the court passed the interim order staying execution of arrest warrants. The matter was subsequently adjourned on several occasions. On May 8, 2026, the court specifically warned that if arguments were not advanced, the matter would be considered on the merits and interim protection would not continue. A similar observation was made on June 16, 2026, when another adjournment was sought by Banerjee's counsel.
Despite those warnings, no one appeared on behalf of Banerjee on June 17, 2026, even after the matter was passed over. Thus, the court dismissed the petition for non-prosecution and expressly vacated the interim relief.
Case Title: Abhishek Banerjee v Akash Vijayvargia, MCRC-28814-2026