Court grants bail to Jairam Ramesh in defamation case

A Delhi court on Thursday granted bail to Congress leader Jairam Ramesh in connection with a defamation case filed by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval's son Vivek Doval.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal asked him to furnish a personal bond and surety of Rs 20,000 each in pursuance of summons issued against him.

Meanwhile, the court also framed defamation charges against him and other two accused -- The Caravan magazine Editor-in-Chief Paresh Nath and reporter Kaushal Shroff.

After they pleaded not guilty and claimed trial, the court listed May 27 for recording of evidence.

In March, the court had summoned Ramesh and the other accused in connection with a defamatory article titled "The D-Companies", published in the magazine on January 16.

Observing that allegations made against Vivek Doval were "prima facie defamatory", the court had said there exists sufficient ground to proceed against the accused.

--IANS

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