Delhi Court Rejects Defamation Case Filed By AAP Leader's Wife Against Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman

A Delhi Court today dismissed the criminal defamation case filed by Aam Aadmi Party leader Somnath Bharti's wife against Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharama.

ACJM Paras Dalal of Rouse Avenue Courts refused to take cognizance of the complaint and dismissed the matter.

“I don't see anything in this matter to proceed further and I am denying cognizance in this case,” the judge said.

The complainant, Lipika Mitra, filed the criminal defamation case alleging commission of offences under Section 356(1) and 356(2) of BNS, 2023 for allegedly making and publishing defamatory, derogatory and libelous remarks in print and electronic media against her.

The complaint alleged that Sitharaman has made defamatory, false, and malicious statements in a press conference published on YouTube, which was broadcasted on Republic TV and NDTV news channels on May 17.

Mitra alleged that Sitharaman's statements were made by her during the election campaign of Loksabha, 2024, with the sole intention to tarnish her husband's reputation, and weaken his chances of winning from New Delhi Parliamentary Constituency as India Alliance Candidate.

The complaint said that the alleged statements have caused immense mental anguish to Bharti and damaged his public standing as an elected representative.

“The accused deliberately is trying to cause larger damage to the marriage which complainant and her husband have successfully saved and in turn is also causing mental agony not only to the complainant and her husband but also to their children. The accused thus attempted to, tarnish the reputation of the Complainant's husband and damage his social standing and goodwill in the society,” the complaint read.

In October last year, the judge had refused to restrain Somnath Bharti from representing his wife and rejected Sitharaman's application seeking a direction that the complainant, Lipika Mitra's main counsel- Somnath Bharti must withdraw his Vakalatnama from the matter.

Sitharaman said that Somnath Bharti is the husband of the complainant and thus, is a personal as well as pecuniary beneficiary of the case. This position, as per the Union Minister, was against Rule 6 and 9 of the Bar Council Rules.

Additionally, the judge had also rejected Mitra's plea seeking waiver of imposition of Rs. 5,000 costs upon her for failing to appear in the matter. The case was then listed for pre-summoning evidence.