HomeNewsTrendsLegalDelhi court summons Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot in defamation complaint by union minister

Delhi court summons Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot in defamation complaint by union minister

The metropolitan magistrate directed Gehlot to appear before the court on August 7 for allegedly defaming Shekhawat with his remarks on the alleged Sanjivani scam.

July 06, 2023 / 18:41 IST
Ashok Gehlot

A Delhi court on Thursday summoned Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot in a criminal complaint filed by Union Minister Gajendra Singh Sekhawat seeking his prosecution for alleged defamation, saying the Congress leader made imputations "knowing and intending" to harm his reputation.

The metropolitan magistrate directed Gehlot to appear before the court on August 7 for allegedly defaming Shekhawat with his remarks on the alleged Sanjivani scam.

The case is related to thousands of investors allegedly getting duped of about Rs 900 crore by the Sanjivani Credit Cooperative Society.

Shekhawat, the Union Jal Shakti Minister and MP from Jodhpur, has alleged in his complaint that Gehlot has been making defamatory remarks against him over the alleged scam and trying to tarnish his image and affect his political career.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Harjeet Singh Jaspal said the accused "prima facie" made defamatory imputations against the complainant, knowing and intending to harm his reputation.

"Having considered the facts and circumstances, the testimonies of the complainant witnesses, the evidence placed on record, it prima facie appears that the accused has made specific defamatory statements… against the complainant. Further, it prima facie appears that the aforesaid defamatory statements of the accused have been sufficiently published in newspaper/ electronic media/social media, which may make the right thinking members of the society shun the complainant," the judge noted.

The judge also took note of the submission made by Senior Advocate Vikas Pahwa, who represented Shekhawat, that the allegations in the complaint were supported by all complainant witnesses (witnesses backing the complainant's claim) during their deposition. "It appears that the accused by his spoken words and by words which were intended to be read, has made defamatory imputations against the complainant, knowing and intending to harm the reputation of the complainant… Ergo, in view of the aforesaid discussion there exists sufficient grounds to summon the accused Ashok Gehlot," the judge said.

Shekhawat has alleged in his complaint that Gehlot, by way of press conferences, media reports and social media posts etc. publicly stated that the union minister and his family members were accused in the Sanjeevani scam and that the allegations against the complainant have been proved.

PTI
first published: Jul 6, 2023 06:41 pm

Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!

Subscribe to Tech Newsletters

  • On Saturdays

    Find the best of Al News in one place, specially curated for you every weekend.

  • Daily-Weekdays

    Stay on top of the latest tech trends and biggest startup news.

Advisory Alert: It has come to our attention that certain individuals are representing themselves as affiliates of Moneycontrol and soliciting funds on the false promise of assured returns on their investments. We wish to reiterate that Moneycontrol does not solicit funds from investors and neither does it promise any assured returns. In case you are approached by anyone making such claims, please write to us at grievanceofficer@nw18.com or call on 02268882347