Delhi court junks defamation suit filed against Tharoor by BJP leader

New Delhi: In the matter of a defamation case against Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram, Shashi Tharoor, filed by BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who was defeated by the former in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, a Delhi court rejected the suit on Tuesday. The additional chief judicial magistrate Paras Dalal refused to summon Tharoor, observing that prima facie, there are no ingredients of defamation in the complaint.

According to the complainant, Tharoor defamed him by making false and derogatory statements on national television that he bribed voters in the Thiruvananthapuram constituency in Kerala during the LS polls. Chandrasekhar, who is also a former Union minister, claimed that Tharoor made the allegations with intent to malign his reputation and impact the election result. Tharoor was totally aware that he was making false allegations, Chandrasekhar claimed.

Chandrasekhar said that Tharoor’s interview was published in multiple news channels and social media platforms as per his direction, which resulted in the complainant's reputation in society. The BJP leader claimed that Tharoor statements against him contributed to his defeat in the LS polls.

It was on September 21, 2024, the court took cognisance of Chandrasekhar’s complaint.

However, in another defamation case filed by Chandrasekhar against Tharoor itself, the Delhi High Court issued a summons to the Congress leader. Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav posted the case, where Chandrasekhar demanded Rs 10 crore as damages for loss of reputation, on April 28. The court said that the complaint should be registered as a suit.

"Let the plaint be registered as a suit. Issue summons to the defendant (Tharoor). List before the joint registrar on April 28," NDTV quoted the court.