The Delhi High Court on Monday issued a summons to Congress leader Shashi Tharoor in a defamation case filed by BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar.
The court has directed that Tharoor be notified through all permissible modes and set the next hearing for April 28.
Chandrasekhar, a former Union minister, has accused Tharoor of making defamatory remarks during a television program ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. The BJP leader has demanded a public apology and Rs.10 crore in damages, claiming that Tharoor’s statements damaged his reputation.
A case was registered by the Cyber Police in Thiruvananthapuram on April 15, but the details were only made public today. The case was filed following a complaint by BJP leader JR Padmakumar, who alleged that Tharoor conducted a false campaign against Chandrasekhar during the program.
In response, the Election Commission (EC) also intervened, warning Tharoor for making unverified allegations that violated the Moral Code of Conduct (MCC) during the election campaign.
This warning followed a complaint from the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which accused Tharoor of defaming its candidate Chandrasekhar.
Tharoor and Chandrasekhar contested the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha seat, with Tharoor emerging victorious.
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