The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notices to Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and the Delhi Government on a petition filed by former Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Vijender Gupta. The petition challenged charges framed against him by a court here in a >criminal defamation case .
Mr. Gupta, through his lawyers Ajay Digpaul and Ajay Burman, has sought quashing of the charges filed by Ms. Dikshit. He has also sought a stay on the trial court proceedings during the hearing of his petition.
Issuing the notices, Justice J.R. Midha directed the Chief Minister and the Government to file replies to the petition by August 5.
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The Chief Minister, in her complaint in the trial court, had alleged that the BJP leader had used uncivilised language against her during the campaign for the Municipal Corporation elections last year.
Mr. Gupta in his plea before the High Court stated that Ms. Dikshit had instituted a false and frivolous complaint against him on the basis of his interviews carried out by newspapers.
“Our entire case is that it is hearsay and all the newspaper reports have been wrongly published,” Mr. Gupta’s petition stated.
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“Ms. Dikshit had in her complaint showed him to be the alleged maker of the statements, which were published by various newspapers, but neither any reporter, editor, printer or publisher has been made an accused nor been produced as a witness,’’ the petition further stated.