The Delhi high court on Wednesday asked transport minister Kailash Gahlot and Bharatiya Janata Party legislator Vijender Gupta to explore the possibility of settling the defamation case filed by the former over the Opposition MLA’s alleged remarks over the procurement of 1,000 low floor buses.
A bench headed by justice Rajiv Shakdher observed that defamation cases involving political leaders are “only posturing” and asked the counsel for both parties to “explore the possibility to arrive at a settlement”.
The court listed the matter for further hearing on December 20 and asked both parties to file their written submissions in four weeks.
Later on Wednesday, Gupta said, “Today during the proceedings, Gahlot’s counsel approached the court and sought to mutually settle their appeal. It was Gahlot who had challenged the single judge’s interim order which was against them and now he himself is trying to create an environment to settle the plaint. We will reply to the court’s query.”
Last year, Gahlot had approached the high court with his civil defamation lawsuit against Gupta and sought ₹5 crore in damages from the BJP leader, accusing him of making scandalous statements over procurement of 1,000 low floor buses by the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC).
Besides seeking a direction restraining Gupta from posting/ tweeting/publishing any defamatory or scandalous or factually incorrect posts on social media platforms and giving interviews, writing articles and blogs in respect of purchase of low floor buses, the suit before the single judge also sought the removal of the allegedly defamatory content from social media.
On March 7, the single judge had refused to restrain Gupta from publishing or tweeting anything relating to the procurement of the buses and said no one should be prevented from expressing their opinion, including suspicions or doubts, on government’s transaction of business unless blatant lies and falsehoods adversely affecting national interest are disseminated through social media platforms.
The single judge had stated the fact cannot be overlooked that both the parties are public figures and members of the legislative assembly, and that an interim order would amount to restraining Gupta from raising issues of public importance.
The minister had earlier argued that Gupta had doubted his integrity with relation to the purchase of the buses despite his getting a clean chit by a high-powered committee.
