The Rouse Avenue Court will deliver its verdict on February 3 regarding the defamation petition filed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar against Congress MP Shashi Tharoor. Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Paras Dalal has reserved the order after hearing the case.
In his petition, Chandrasekhar accuses Tharoor of spreading false and damaging information about him during a TV interview in Kerala. The BJP leader claims that Tharoor made misleading statements about bribes being allegedly paid to influential voters, including parish priests, in Thiruvananthapuram. Chandrasekhar expressed his surprise at these allegations, arguing that Tharoor’s remarks were aimed at tarnishing his reputation.
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The petition highlights that these statements were not only damaging to Chandrasekhar but also insulted the entire Christian community of Thiruvananthapuram by implicating them in bribery for votes. Chandrasekhar has called for a public apology from Tharoor and demanded that he retract his comments.
Legal Grounds And Tharoor’s Response
Chandrasekhar filed the defamation petition under Section 200 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and Sections 500 and 171G of the Indian Penal Code. In his defense, Shashi Tharoor has denied making any specific allegations and maintained that he was merely recounting hearsay from various sources, including prominent members of the local community.
Before pursuing legal action, Chandrasekhar had sent a defamation notice to Tharoor, requesting a response to the allegations. The case now awaits the court’s decision, set to be announced on February 3.
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