Former Union Minister and BJP Leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar has filed a criminal defamation complaint against Congress MP Shashi Tharoor from Thiruvananthapuram in a Delhi Court.
The case arises from remarks made by Tharoor during the recent Lok Sabha elections. Chandrasekhar alleges that Tharoor’s statements were defamatory and harmful to his reputation.
Rajeev Chandrasekhar contends that Shashi Tharoor, in an interview with a news channel during the Lok Sabha elections, made serious allegations that Chandrasekhar was engaged in vote bribery. Chandrasekhar claims these insinuations are defamatory and damaging to his reputation, prompting him to file a criminal defamation case against Tharoor.
The complaint further asserts that in another interview with TV News Byte, Tharoor claimed that various individuals had approached him with allegations that Chandrasekhar was bribing voters. Chandrasekhar has argued that these statements are defamatory and harmful to his reputation, leading to his legal action against Tharoor.
The defamation complaint was recently filed in Delhi’s Patiala House Court. However, the judge noted that, since Shashi Tharoor is serving as a Member of Parliament, the court lacks jurisdiction to handle the matter. Consequently, the case may need to be transferred to a court with appropriate jurisdiction for further proceedings.
The transfer petition related to the defamation case was scheduled to be heard by the Delhi High Court on August 13 but could not be taken up. Justice Neena Bansal Krishna is set to hear the transfer petition on August 21.
The complaint highlights that Tharoor made what is described as frivolous and baseless allegations against Chandrasekhar through news channels and online platforms. The complaint argues that Tharoor’s failure to verify these allegations beforehand has undermined their credibility.
It also states that Chandrasekhar issued a legal notice for defamation on April 9, 2024, to Tharoor regarding his allegations that Chandrasekhar was bribing voters in the Thiruvananthapuram constituency, including leaders and representatives of religious and community organizations. The notice demanded that Tharoor retract the false statements and issue an unconditional public apology. However, Tharoor did not respond to the notice, nor did he retract his statements or apologize.
