SC stays defamation proceedings against BJP's Manoj Tiwari, Vijender Gupta

Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed the criminal defamation proceedings against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders Manoj Tiwari and Vijender Gupta.

The proceedings against the BJP leaders were initiated after a complaint by Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister, Msh Sisodia. Later, Tiwari and Gupta moved to the apex court seeking the quashing of the summons issued against them in a defamation case.

On December 17, 2020, Delhi High Court dismissed the petitions by MP Tiwari and MLA Gupta challenging trial court order issuing summons against them in a defamation case filed by Sisodia. Justice Anu Malhotra dismissed the petitions challenging trial court order issuing summons against them and sought quashing of an order passed by Rouse Avenue Court on November 28, 2019. All the accused including Tiwari and Gupta were earlier granted bail after they appeared before the trial court.

Sisodia had filed a defamation case against Tiwari, BJP MPs Hans Raj Hans and Pravesh Verma, BJP MLAs Manjinder Singh Sirsa and Vijender Gupta and BJP spokesperson Harish Khurana for making false allegations regarding his (Sisodia's) involvement in corruption of Rs 2000 crores in the building of classrooms of Delhi government schools.

Sisodia, in the defamation case, stated that all the allegations made by these BJP leaders jointly and severally were false, defamatory and derogatory to intending to harm and damage his reputation and goodwill.

( With inputs from ANI )