Delhi court summons 2 BJP MLAs, rebel AAP MLA in defamation case

A city court Friday summoned BJP MLAs Vijender Gupta, Manjinder Singh Sirsa and rebel AAP MLA Kapil Mishra in a criminal defamation complaint filed by Delhi government's Environment Minister Imran Hussain.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal directed the accused persons to appear before the court on August 30, saying the allegations by them against the Ballimaran MLA were "prima facie defamatory".

"Allegations of the respondents are prima facie defamatory and refers to Hussain making him an aggrieved person... Therefore, in view of the aforesaid discussion there exists sufficient grounds to proceed against the respondents Gupta, Mishra and Sirsa under section 500 (defamation) of IPC.

"Accordingly, Gupta, Mishra and Sirsa are summoned for commission of offence of defamation...," the court said.

According to the complaint, the accused persons claimed Hussain had indulged in corruption and he had given permission to cut trees in Delhi after taking an amount of Rs 23 crore.

Hussain had claimed his reputation was lowered in society by the use of such remarks by the respondents.