Charges framed against AAP’s spokesman Singh

◗ The charges were framed under the Indian Penal Code sections 499 and 500 ( related to defamation) after Singh, a Rajya Sabha MP, pleaded not guilty and claimed trial

A Delhi court on Wednesday framed charges against AAP spokesperson Sanjay Singh in a complaint filed by a BJP youth- wing leader for allegedly defaming him by projecting him as the person who reportedly assaulted former minister Kapil Mishra last year. Additional chief metropolitan magistrate Samar Vishal said there were enough evidence against the accused to start the proceedings against him.

The charges were framed under the Indian Penal Code sections 499 and 500 ( related to defamation) after Singh, a Rajya Sabha MP, pleaded not guilty and claimed trial.

Advocate Mohd Irshad, appearing for Singh, said he will contest the allegations during the trial.

The plea filed by Ankit Bhardwaj, a state executive member of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha ( BJYM), has sought prosecution of the AAP leader for the offence of criminal defamation claiming that it was his namesake who had allegedly assaulted Mishra.

He said his name was “wrongly taken” by the AAP leaders in the media by describing him as a BJYM officer bearer who had assaulted Mishra on May 10, last year.

He had also said the person apprehended at the spot for the alleged offence purportedly belonged to their own party. He had claimed that on the official Twitter account and Facebook page of the Aam Aadmi Party, it was mentioned that the person who attacked Mishra was Ankit Bhardwaj who belonged to BJP and was showing his identity as an assailant by putting screenshots of his Facebook profile.

The complainant has said that the criminal defamation complaint was being filed as Singh did not reply to his legal notice in the matter. “The reputation of the complainant has been tarnished in the mind of party leaders, relatives, friends and public at large,” it said.