Published on :
Delhi: Journalist Swati Chaturvedi has approached the Delhi High Court challenging the summons issued by a magistrate in a defamation case filed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga [Swati Chaturvedi v State and Anr]
Chaturvedi’s plea is listed for hearing on Tuesday before Justice Rajnish Bhatnagar.
The case relates to a Tweet posted by Chaturvedi in March 2017 wherein she commented on the BJP’s move to appoint Bagga as its spokesperson.
The tweet read:
“Now the man who beat up @pbhushan1 was arrested in a sexual harassment case speaks for @BJP4India. Good job.”
The first part of the tweet in question made reference to an incident in 2011, where Bagga and two others allegedly attacked advocate Prashant Bhushan in his Supreme Court chambers, as a result of which the veteran lawyer sustained minor injuries to his head and leg.
Following the tweet, Bagga filed a defamation case against Chaturvedi. In an order passed in May 2018, a magistrate court ordered Chaturvedi to appear before the court.
Chaturvedi challenged the order, however, the same was dismissed in December 2022.
In his order, Judge Sudhir Kumar Sirohi said that Chaturvedi’s tweet about alleged sexual harassment “lowered the image of public figure, that too when he was representing a national party”.
In her plea before the High Court, Chaturvedi has challenged both the summons issued by the magistrate and the order passed by judge Sirohi dismissing her petition.
