Lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai withdrew his defamation lawsuit against former partner TMC leader Mahua Moitra in the Delhi High Court, terming it a “peace offering”.
Last year, Dehadrai accused Moitra of accepting bribes from businessman and Hiranandani Group CEO Darshan Hiranandani to pose questions in Parliament, resulting in her expulsion from the Lok Sabha on December 8.
Dehadrai and Nishikant Dubey
In response, Mahua filed a case against Dehadrai and BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, seeking to restrain them from posting, circulating, or publishing any “fake” and “defamatory” content against her.
Earlier this year, Dehadrai also filed a lawsuit seeking damages of Rs 2 crore from the former lawmaker. He claimed that after he lodged a complaint with the CBI alleging Moitra received illegal gratification for providing her Lok Sabha login credentials to a third party, she began a campaign of slander and abuse, disseminating “false, abusive, and defamatory statements” against him.
During the proceedings, Dehadrai’s counsel suggested that the case could be resolved if Moitra agreed not to make “palpably false” statements.
Agreeing that judicial time is better spent on resolving disputes between parties, Justice Prateek Jalan welcomed the suggestion, stating, “If this can halt the crossfire, it’s a welcome suggestion.” He proposed the possibility of removing personal allegations from the public domain and arriving at an agreed protocol of behavior.
‘Peace Offering’
Dehadrai, present in court, subsequently expressed his willingness to unconditionally withdraw the lawsuit. His advocate Raghav Awasthi stated, “I am willing to withdraw. I will withdraw as a peace offering.”
Granting permission for Dehadrai to withdraw, the court ordered, “The suit is dismissed as withdrawn.”
In the lawsuit filed through lawyer Mukesh Sharma, Dehadrai claimed that Moitra’s statements tarnished his reputation, portraying him as a “person who has become bitter due to a failed personal relationship and is now filing false complaints for revenge.”
Additionally, BJD MP Pinaki Misra has filed a lawsuit against Dehadrai regarding his allegedly defamatory tweets and statements concerning the cash-for-query row.
