Raghav Chadha moves Delhi HC against trial court order dismissing appeal in defamation case

New Delhi : Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Raghav Chadha has moved the Delhi High Court against the dismissal order of a trial court in a criminal defamation complaint lodged by Delhi BJP leader Chhail Bihari Goswami. On November 9, Special Judge MK Nagpal of Rouse Avenue Court dismissed the appeals filed by AAP leaders Satyendar Jain and Chadha.

Jain is currently incarcerated in an excise policy case. Judge Nagpal had upheld the magisterial court's order summoning Jain and Chadha as accused in Goswami's complaint, accusing Jain and Chadha of making defamatory remarks against him regarding the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) funds.

He had deemed the trial court's order as perfectly correct and legal on facts as well as in law. On Monday, Justice Swarna Kanta Sharma asked Chadha's counsel to file additional documents and posted the matter for hearing next on December 11. Goswami's complainant alleged that the defamatory remarks were intended to lower Goswami's moral and intellectual character in the eyes of the general public. These remarks are related to the alleged misappropriation of funds of around Rs 2,400-2,500 crore belonging to North MCD being controlled or ruled by the BJP.