‘Utterance of words like ghotala not defamation’: BJP leaders pray for discharge in suit by Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Harjeet Singh Jaspal heard arguments from Tiwari, Hans and Sirsa’s lawyers as well Saturday.

Their lawyers sought to argue that a recent Supreme Court order passed on October 17, 2022, observed that “mere utterance of words like ‘scam/ghotala’ do not by itself constitute defamation”.

Verma’s lawyer, Shivam Chaudhary argued that “there is no defamation and the press conference was merely a reiteration of the reply received in the RTI”.

This RTI, dated May 23, 2018, contained the reply by the office of the chief engineer (project) of the Delhi government.

“There was the sanction of 12,748 rooms against a sanctioned cost of (Rs) 2,892.65 crores [sic]…if the total sanctioned amount is divided by the sanctioned rooms, then the per room cost is about Rs 25,00,000/­ and the same was also stated in the press conference,” Verma’s lawyer submitted.

The lawyer for Hans argued that the accused was merely present in the press conference and uttered no defamatory words against the complainant and even in the tweets, his allegations are against the Delhi government and no individual in particular.

The court will further hear the arguments on November 5.