New Delhi, April 1 – A Delhi court on Wednesday dismissed a criminal defamation complaint filed by Lipika Mitra, the wife of former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Somnath Bharti, against Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Paras Dalal of the Rouse Avenue Court declined to proceed with the complaint, stating that there was no basis to take cognizance of the allegations.
"I do not see anything in this matter that warrants further action, and I am denying cognizance," the judge said while rejecting the plea.
The complaint, filed by Mitra, alleged that Sitharaman made defamatory, false, and malicious statements regarding her marital life with Bharti during a press conference held on May 17, 2024, in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections.
Mitra contended that the remarks were widely broadcast on television and digital platforms with the intent to damage her husband's public image and negatively impact his electoral prospects as a candidate for the INDIA Bloc from the New Delhi parliamentary constituency.
According to the plea, the alleged statements caused Bharti immense mental distress and inflicted reputational damage, not only within India but also internationally, given his status as an alumnus of IIT Delhi with a wide global network.
Seeking legal recourse, Mitra had urged the court to summon Sitharaman for trial and to restrain her from making or circulating similar statements in the future, along with directions for the removal of the allegedly defamatory content from various platforms.
The complainant alleged that Sitharaman had violated Sections 356(1) and 356(2) of the BNS, 2023, by making and publishing defamatory, derogatory, and libelous remarks in print and electronic media against her.
However, after considering the material placed on record, the court held that the case did not meet the threshold required for taking cognizance of the alleged offences and dismissed the complaint.