Dhruv Rathee summoned by Delhi court in defamation case filed by BJP leader

New Delhi: In a defamation lawsuit brought by Mumbai BJP leader Suresh Karamshi Nakhua, a Delhi court summoned YouTuber Dhruv Rathee after Rathee reportedly referred to him as a “violent and abusive” troll in one of his most recent videos.

On July 7, 2024, Rathee posted a video on his YouTube channel titled "My Reply to Godi YouTubers | Elvish Yadav | Dhruv Rathee." Nakhua, a Mumbai-based BJP spokesperson, claimed that Rathee called him a “violent and abusive troll” without any ‘rhyme or reason’. He continued by saying that he had been widely criticised and ridiculed as a result of Rathee's accusations. In addition, Rathee received a notice from Saket Court District Judge Gunjan Gupta on July 19 regarding Nakhua's request for temporary relief. August 6 will now be the date of the hearing. The matter will now be heard on August 6, Indian Express reported.

“That the defendant No.1 (Dhruv Rathee), who in a highly provocative and incendiary video that spread like wildfire across digital platforms, made bold and unsubstantiated claims against the plaintiff (Nakhua). The insidious intent behind this video lies in its unfounded insinuation that the plaintiff is somehow linked to violent and abusive troll activities,” submitted the BJP spokesperson.

The YouTuber had attempted to "tarnish his hard-earned standing in society" and "planted seeds of suspicion and mistrust that can have far-reaching consequences," according to Nakhua, who filed the lawsuit against Rathee. Furthermore, he claimed that the fallout from these accusations would cause "scars that may never fully heal.”