Delhi High Court Issues Summons To Congress Leader Shashi Tharoor In Defamation Suit By BJP's Rajeev Chandrasekhar

The Delhi High Court on Monday issued summons to Congress leader Shashi Tharoor in a defamation suit filed against him by former Union Minister and BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar.

Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav issued summons in the suit and listed the matter before the joint registrar on April 28.

“Let the plaint be registered as a suit. Issue summons, returnable by April. List on April 28 before the joint registrar,” the Court ordered.

BJP leader Chandrasekhar has filed the defamation suit over Tharoor's statements alleging that the former offered money to voters during the Lok Sabha polls, 2024.

Chandrasekhar alleged that Tharoor defamed him by making false statements on a national television wherein he said that the former was bribing voters in the Thiruvananthapuram constituency during the elections. As per Chandrasekhar, the statements were made by Tharoor on a Malayalam news channel called “24 News.”

Significant to note that a criminal defamation suit was also filed by Chandrasekhar before the Patiala House Court last year. A transfer petition was filed before the Delhi High Court after the Principal District Judge noted that the complaint case related to a sitting MP, which needed to be transferred to MP/MLAs Court- Rouse Avenue Courts.

In August last year, the transfer petition was disposed of by a coordinate bench noting that the matter was transferred to MP/MLAs Court. The parties were directed to appear in person before the District and Sessions Judge, Rouse Avenue Courts on August 30, 2024. 

Today, the trial court is likely to pass an order as to whether Tharoor has to be summoned in the criminal complaint case or not.

Meanwhile, the defamation suit before the High Court was filed in December last year for permanent injunction and damages against Tharoor on account of his allegedly defamatory statements in the interview. After being listed thrice before the joint registrar, the matter was listed before Justice Kaurav on January 24. On that day, the Court noted that Chandrasekhar had paid the court fee and directed the Registry to list the suit for hearing on admission.

Chandrasekhar's complaint states that Tharoor's interview was published by various news channels as well as on social media platforms at the behest of the latter which resulted in loss of reputation of the former in the society. He further alleged that the situated ultimately resulted in him losing the Lok Sabha polls, 2024.

Senior advocate Vaibhav Gaggar appeared for Chandrashekhar, and he was briefed by a team of M/s Karanjawala and Company comprising of Advocates Meghna Mishra, Ankit Rajgarhia and Palak Sharma. 

Title: Rajeev Chandrasekhar v. Shashi Tharoor