Defamation case : HC exempts scribe from personal appearance

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has exempted a journalist from personally appearing before a trial court in a criminal defamation case filed against her by a BJP spokesperson. 

The journalist's lawyer had on Tuesday told the media that the high court, apart from exempting her from personal appearance, had also stayed the proceedings in the trial court. 

However, the order made available to media on Wednesday, indicated that Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva had not stayed the proceedings initiated by BJP spokesperson Tajinder Singh Bagga for the scribe's tweets regarding his appointment to the post.  

The journalist, Swati Chaturvedi, was on May 17 summoned by the trial court as an accused in the defamation case and was asked to appear before it on July 12.