Delhi Court took cognisance of defamation complaint by AAP leader Kailash Gehlot. (Representational)
A Delhi court on Wednesday took cognisance of a criminal defamation complaint filed by Delhi Cabinet Minister and AAP leader Kailash Gehlot against BJP MLA Vijender Gupta for allegedly defaming him in relation to procurement of 1,000 low floor buses by the Delhi Transport Corporation.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ravindra Kumar Pandey fixed the matter for September 18 for examination of the complainant as a part of pre-summoning evidence.
Mr Gehlot, who is Delhi Transport Minister, has alleged in his complaint that Mr Gupta “intentionally and for malafide purposes” defamed him and tarnished his reputation to gain political mileage.
He has alleged that Mr Gupta levelled “defamatory, scandalous, mischievous, false and scurrilous allegations” verbally as well as in writing.
The complaint has alleged that Mr Gupta posted “reckless, unfounded, malicious, scandalous, malafide, mischievous, libellous, spiteful and defamatory” statements and other materials against Mr Gehlot on Twitter, Facebook and other social media accounts.
The complaint said that “vilifying and scandalous” allegations were made by the accused in order to stall the “ambitious project of the Delhi Government to give major relief to the residents of Delhi”.
“The Accused made scurrilous, misplaced and false allegations against the Complainant with an intention to teach people of Delhi a lesson for voting in favour of Aam Aadmi Party,” the plea alleged.
It claimed that Mr Gupta had made unabated tweets doubting the integrity of the minister in relation to the purchase of the low floor buses, in spite of a clean-chit being given by a high-powered committee.
Delhi government floated a tender for buses and after due process, it was awarded to Tata but all sorts of allegations were made, it claimed.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)