New Delhi: A city court on Friday stayed proceedings against Delhi Chief Minister Atishi in a criminal defamation case filed by a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader accusing her of defaming him.
Special Judge Vishal Gogne stayed the proceedings before a magisterial court on an application moved by the Delhi Chief Minister.
Atishi had challenged the order of the magisterial court, which had summoned her on the complaint filed by BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor.
“It is directed that the proceedings before the trial court shall remain stayed till further orders. List for submissions on December 2, 2024,” the court said while staying the proceedings against Atishi before the magisterial court, news agency PTI reported.
BJP leader Kapoor has accused Atishi, Kejriwal of defaming him
Kapoor has accused Atishi and Arvind Kejriwal, the former Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor, of defaming him through her reported claim that the BJP approached several MLAs of AAP with offers of cash to bring down the AAP government in Delhi.
Magisterial court issued summons to Atishi on May 28
The magisterial court had issued summons to Atishi in the criminal defamation case on May 28. The magisterial court, however, had refused to summon Kejriwal as an accused in the case.
Atishi was granted bail in on July 23 the case after she appeared before the court in pursuant to summons.
Atishi had failed to furnish evidence to support her claim: Kapoor
Atishi reportedly claimed that the BJP contacted 21 MLAs belonging to the AAP and offered them Rs 25 lakh to each of them to switch over to the BJP.
Kapoor had moved the court with a criminal defamation complaint accusing the Delhi Chief Minister of making false claims about poaching attempts on the AAP MLAs, saying that Atishi had failed to furnish evidence to support her claim.
