HC to hear Satyendar's plea against summons in defamation plaint by BJP leader on Dec 14

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought the response of Delhi BJP leader Chhail Bihari Goswami on a plea by incarcerated AAP leader Satyendar Jain against the summons issued to him by a trial court in a criminal defamation complaint filed by the former.

Appearing before Justice Swarna Kanta Sharma for Jain, Senior Advocate Rebecca John urged her to stay the trial court proceedings ahead of the cross-examination of the complainant, which is set for November 30.

The judge, however, refused to stay the trial court proceedings at this stage saying that she was not convinced to do the same and needed to hear them.

“I need to see the trial court record,” she added, and listed the matter for next hearing on December 14.

Jain is currently incarcerated in an excise policy case. A magisterial court here had summoned Jain and AAP MP Raghav Chadha as accused in Goswami's complaint, accusing both of making defamatory remarks against him regarding the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) funds.

MP Raghav Chadha has already moved the High Court against the dismissal order of a Sessions Court.

On November 9, Special Judge MK Nagpal of Rouse Avenue Court had dismissed the appeals filed by Jain and Chadha.

Judge Nagpal had deemed the Magisterial Court's order as perfectly correct and legal on facts as well as in law.

On Chadha's plea, the High Court had asked his counsel to file additional documents and posted the matter for hearing next on December 11.