The Delhi High Court has issued a notice to Atishi, Chief Minister of Delhi, in response to an appeal filed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Praveen Shankar Kapoor. Kapoor is challenging a lower court’s decision that quashed summons against Atishi in a defamation case he filed in April 2024.
The defamation case stems from statements made by Atishi last year, in which she accused the BJP of offering bribes to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislators to switch sides. These remarks, made in press conferences and public statements, led Kapoor to file the defamation lawsuit.
On Tuesday, a bench led by Justice Vikas Mahajan issued a notice to Atishi, asking her to respond to the appeal, and scheduled the next hearing for April 30, 2025. The court declined to immediately stay the January 28 ruling by a city court, which had previously dismissed Kapoor’s request for the summons, ruling that Atishi’s statements fell under her right to act as a “whistleblower” and could not be considered defamatory.
In the January 28 order, Special Judge Vishal Gogne emphasized that political leaders, particularly those in power, should show the “broad shoulders” to accept alternative political narratives. He stated that courts should not become tools for political strategy by entertaining complaints aimed at suppressing legitimate political discourse.
Kapoor’s legal team, led by Senior Advocate Ajay Burman and accompanied by advocates Satya Ranjan Swain and Shoumendu Mukherji, argued before the High Court that the city court had overstepped its jurisdiction. Burman contended that the judge had substituted his own views for a well-reasoned decision by a lower court, which had initially refused to summon Atishi in the defamation case.
Additionally, Burman pointed out that Atishi had failed to disclose the identity of the person who allegedly approached her with the bribery offer and did not provide any documents to back up her claims. He criticized the special judge for “casually” handling the allegations of bribery against the ruling BJP, and argued that the gravity of the false statements was not adequately addressed in the previous ruling.
The case continues to stir political tensions, as Atishi’s accusations against the BJP remain a point of contention between the AAP and BJP factions. With the High Court’s intervention, the outcome of the defamation case could have significant political implications in the lead-up to the Delhi elections.
Sources By Agencies