The Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked the trial court to not take any action against BJP Member of Parliament (MP) Manoj Tiwari in the criminal defamation case filed against him by former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. .Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma passed the order after noting that proceedings against other co-accused like BJP leaders Vijender Gupta, Hans Raj Hans and Manjinder Singh Sirsa have either been quashed or stayed. "In the meanwhile, since proceedings against other accused have been stayed, let no further steps be taken qua the present petitioner," the Court ordered. .Sisodia had sued Tiwari and five other BJP leaders for defamation after they alleged that he was involved in a scam of nearly ₹2,000 crore related to the construction of new classrooms in Delhi's government schools.Summons were issued in the case in November 2019 by the court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM). In October 2022, the Supreme Court had dismissed Manoj Tiwari's appeal to quash the case..Advocate Bansuri Swaraj appeared for Tiwari today and argued that since the apex court's order, there has been a change in circumstances, as Central agencies are now investigating Sisodia for corruption.The counsel said that Sisodia had filed the criminal defamation case claiming he had unimpeachable character and a stellar reputation..Advocate Rishikesh Kumar appeared for Sisodia and argued that Tiwari's petition was an abuse of process of law.Kumar stated that all these pleas were already taken in previous cases and there are no subsequent facts. He further said that a stay on proceedings would be prejudicial as the matter has not seen any progress for nearly five years..The Bench, however, passed the order asking the trial court not to take action against Tiwari and listed the petition for further consideration in November.
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked the trial court to not take any action against BJP Member of Parliament (MP) Manoj Tiwari in the criminal defamation case filed against him by former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. .Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma passed the order after noting that proceedings against other co-accused like BJP leaders Vijender Gupta, Hans Raj Hans and Manjinder Singh Sirsa have either been quashed or stayed. "In the meanwhile, since proceedings against other accused have been stayed, let no further steps be taken qua the present petitioner," the Court ordered. .Sisodia had sued Tiwari and five other BJP leaders for defamation after they alleged that he was involved in a scam of nearly ₹2,000 crore related to the construction of new classrooms in Delhi's government schools.Summons were issued in the case in November 2019 by the court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM). In October 2022, the Supreme Court had dismissed Manoj Tiwari's appeal to quash the case..Advocate Bansuri Swaraj appeared for Tiwari today and argued that since the apex court's order, there has been a change in circumstances, as Central agencies are now investigating Sisodia for corruption.The counsel said that Sisodia had filed the criminal defamation case claiming he had unimpeachable character and a stellar reputation..Advocate Rishikesh Kumar appeared for Sisodia and argued that Tiwari's petition was an abuse of process of law.Kumar stated that all these pleas were already taken in previous cases and there are no subsequent facts. He further said that a stay on proceedings would be prejudicial as the matter has not seen any progress for nearly five years..The Bench, however, passed the order asking the trial court not to take action against Tiwari and listed the petition for further consideration in November.