Delhi HC directs Congress leaders to delete posts amid row over party allegations against Smriti Irani’s daughter

“They are also directed to remove the post, videos, tweets, retweets, morphed pictures of plaintiff and her daughter along with the allegations and stop their recirculation. If defendants 1 to 3 fail to comply with the directions within 24 hours of this order, defendants 4 to 6 [social media platforms] are directed to take down [the content],” Justice Pushkarna said in the interim order.

Besides seeking damages of over Rs 2 crore for the alleged defamation and posting of false allegations, Irani in the suit filed through DSK Legal sought a mandatory and permanent injunction against the Congress leaders and a direction for taking down the posts already made.

In their press conference last week, the Congress accused Irani’s daughter of running the restaurant in Goa “illegally”, with the bar license procured “fraudulently” in the name of a deceased person. The Congress also had demanded the resignation of Irani from the Union Cabinet.

Irani’s suit alleges that the Congress leaders “conspired with each other and with unknown individuals/ organisations to launch a tirade of false, scathing and belligerent personal attacks” against her and her daughter “with the common motive to malign, defame and injure” their reputation, moral character and public image.

Stating that Irani and her daughter have never been “running” a bar in Goa, the suit said they have never applied for any license for “running” or operating “any bar” till date. Both have not been served with any show cause notice from Goa’s Excise Department till date, it said.

“Despite being fully aware of the fact that the applicant and her daughter are neither owner(s) of the premises or said restaurant, nor have they applied for any licence in relation to the said restaurant, defendants [Congress leaders] deliberately made various defamatory statements imputing the character of the applicant and her daughter going to the extent of maliciously peddling lies by stating that the applicant’s daughter is purportedly indulging in corrupt practices and illegal activities under the patronage and knowledge of the applicant,” reads the suit.

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Following the press conference, the suit said, the Congress leaders used platforms like YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the purpose of publishing and disseminating false, malicious and defamatory content against Irani without in any manner verifying such false information.

“… As a consequence of the said Press Conference, the Applicant has also been subjected to various other defamatory posts which are being published against her by people from various parts of the country on social media platforms after being influenced and misguided by the falsities peddled by [Congress leaders],” the suit alleged.

Reacting to the court order, Jairam Ramesh tweeted: “The Delhi High Court has issued notice asking us to formally reply to the case filed by Smriti Irani. We look forward to presenting the facts before the court. We will challenge and disprove the spin being put out by Ms. Irani.”