Gahlot challenges order in Gupta suit

NEW DELHI: Delhi transport minister Kailash Gahlot has moved the division bench of the Delhi high court against an order by a single judge who refused to grant an ex parte injunction in a suit that the minister has filed against Delhi BJP MLA Vijender Gupta for allegedly making defamatory remarks against him over the procurement of 1,000 low-floor buses by the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC).

The matter is listed for hearing on Monday before a bench of justices Vipin Sanghi and Jasmeet Singh.

On August 28, the Delhi high court declined to grant ex parte interim relief to Gahlot in his civil defamation plea seeking the removal of alleged defamatory statements and posts shared by Gupta on social media.

The court, while issuing summons to Gupta, also gave him 30 days to respond to the suit, saying that prima facie no personal allegations were made against Gahlot.

Challenging the order, Gahlot has said it was not correct in the view in refusing him interim relief as it “overlooked” specific tweets which made alleged scandalous remarks against him.

In his plea, Gahlot said that Gupta, in his tweets, made direct imputations on him which were defamatory, scandalous, vengeful and made without any basis or after any due diligence.

Reacting to the development, Gupta on Saturday said he will defend his stand in the court. “I will apprise the court of the facts of the case, and defend my stand,” the legislator said.

Gahlot has also filed a criminal defamation case against Gupta, in which the judge has taken cognizance of his allegations and asked him to appear on September 18 to record his statements.