‘You Tried to Play Mediator Role’: TMC MP Mahua Moitra’s Counsel Withdraws from Defamation Case

TMC MP Mahua Moitra’s counsel on Friday withdrew from a case in the Delhi High Court, which sought restraint orders against BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, an advocate, and various media outlets from disseminating any alleged defamatory content about her.

Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan withdrew from the matter after advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai informed the court that Sankaranarayanan had contacted him on Thursday night to withdraw his complaint to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against the Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader. Dehadrai is the advocate against whom Moitra sought relief.

Sankaranarayanan stated that Dehadrai had previously instructed him, which prompted him to approach him. He informed his client, Moitra, that Dehadrai was a member of the Bar and had assisted him in a previous case, so he suggested that Dehadrai speak to him.

Justice Sachin Datta said he was “appalled” and added that since Sankaranarayanan tried to play the role of a mediator, is he still eligible to appear in the matter? “It’s something that you need to answer yourself. It’s your call,” the judge said, prompting Sankaranarayanan to withdraw himself from the case.

The court scheduled the matter for further hearing on October 31 after the Dusshera break.

During the brief hearing, Dehadrai, who appeared in person, claimed that the senior lawyer had spoken to him for nearly 30 minutes over the phone and asked him to withdraw the CBI complaint in exchange for a dog named Henry.

Moitra’s petition in the high court sought directions to restrain Dubey, Dehadrai, various social media platforms, and media houses from posting, circulating, or publishing fake and defamatory content about her. Moitra alleged that her former close friend, lawyer Dehadrai, had sent vile, threatening, vulgar messages and trespassed into her official residence, stealing personal possessions, including her pet dog, Henry. She had initially filed police complaints, which were later withdrawn due to settlement talks.

Moitra, the Lok Sabha member from Krishnanagar in West Bengal, sought a permanent injunction against Dubey, Dehadrai, social media platform X, search engine Google, YouTube, 15 media houses, and requested to restrain them from making, publishing, or circulating defamatory statements against her. She also sought damages.

Dubey had accused Moitra of accepting bribes from a businessman to ask questions in Parliament, and he urged Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to form an inquiry committee to investigate the charges. In his letter to the Lok Sabha speaker, Dubey claimed that advocate Dehadrai provided “irrefutable” evidence of bribes being given to Moitra by a businessman.

Moitra denied the allegations and contended that they were intended to harm her reputation. She requested the court to direct the defendants to remove all alleged defamatory and scurrilous content from their respective platforms.