Rajat Sharma’s ₹100 Crore Defamation Plea: Delhi High Court Reserves Order Against Congress Leaders

Delhi High Court Reserves Order on Rajat Sharma’s Defamation Plea Against Congress Leaders

The Delhi High Court has reserved its decision on journalist Rajat Sharma’s plea to prevent Congress party leaders from accusing him of using foul language on live television. Justice Neena Bansal Krishna reserved the order in Sharma’s request for interim relief.

Sharma is seeking ₹100 crore in damages for defamation against Congress leaders Ragini Nayak, Jairam Ramesh, and Pawan Khera. The allegations stem from a TV discussion on June 4, during which the Congress leaders claimed Sharma used abusive language towards Nayak. However, Senior Advocate Maninder Singh, representing Sharma, argued that the leaders began making these accusations on social media on June 10, falsely attributing expletives to Sharma.

“I do not belong to any political party. I am performing my professional duty. These allegations are patently false and fabricated. This is a classic case that needs immediate rectification. As long as these accusations remain on social media, they will be repeated, and I will continue to face abuse,” Singh contended.

Social media buzzed with a video clip from India TV, owned by Sharma, allegedly showing him using foul language against Nayak during a discussion on the day of the Lok Sabha election results. Nayak posted the video on June 10, claiming Sharma’s abusive language could be heard clearly, and subsequently filed a police complaint against him.

On June 11, Sharma responded, accusing the Congress party’s media cell of orchestrating a false campaign against him, labeling it a conspiracy. He stated that India TV had issued a warning to the Congress communication department, asserting that continuing to spread falsehoods would be considered defamatory.

“The Congress spokesperson was sent with the intention to provoke me,” Sharma said in a broadcast on June 11. He added that despite the warning, the Congress media cell persisted with their allegations, prompting his legal action.

Sharma’s legal team also issued a statement on India TV’s official X handle, cautioning Nayak, Ramesh, and Khera against making defamatory accusations. “The allegations you made on social media against Mr. Sharma are utterly false and without any foundation. They are malicious and defamatory, clearly constituting fake news. You have grossly violated public decency by falsely accusing a reputable personality. We are consulting legal advice to determine further action,” the statement read.

Senior Advocate Maninder Singh, along with Sudeep Chatterjee, Rohan Swarup, Kunal Vats, and Sanyam Suri from Singh & Singh Law Firm, appeared on behalf of Rajat Sharma.