Bhopal: A court in Bhopal today granted bail to Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti in a defamation case filed against her by Congress leader Digvijaya Singh.
Judicial Magistrate Ajay Singh Thakur granted her bail on a security of Rs 10,000 in the 13-year-old case.
Ms Bharti, wearing saffron robes, first appeared in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Bhubhaskar Yadav, but as he was on leave, she approached Magistrate Thakur for bail.
Her lawyer Harish Mehta said the minister could not appear on the last date, September 29, as she had to chair an urgent meeting regarding the Cauvery water-sharing dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
On September 29, CJM Yadav had issued a non-bailable warrant against Ms Bharti for not appearing before the court since October 2015.
Her lawyer moved the court of Additional District Judge Ramkumar Choubey saying her statement could be recorded through a lawyer and her presence was not necessary. The district court stayed the warrant on the same day.
The Congress leader dragged Ms Bharti to court alleging defamation in 2003 when she, as BJP's chief ministerial candidate during the Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls, alleged that a multi-crore rupees scam had taken place during Mr Singh's tenure as the chief minister between 1993 and 2003.
Earlier this year, the CJM's court had asked Ms Bharti and Mr Singh to attempt mediation to settle the dispute out of the court, but it did not work out.
Judicial Magistrate Ajay Singh Thakur granted her bail on a security of Rs 10,000 in the 13-year-old case.
Ms Bharti, wearing saffron robes, first appeared in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Bhubhaskar Yadav, but as he was on leave, she approached Magistrate Thakur for bail.
On September 29, CJM Yadav had issued a non-bailable warrant against Ms Bharti for not appearing before the court since October 2015.
Advertisement
The Congress leader dragged Ms Bharti to court alleging defamation in 2003 when she, as BJP's chief ministerial candidate during the Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls, alleged that a multi-crore rupees scam had taken place during Mr Singh's tenure as the chief minister between 1993 and 2003.
Advertisement
COMMENTS
Advertisement
BJP Accuses Congress Of Inciting Violence Against PM Modi With 'Maut' And 'Hinsa' Remarks Congress' Digvijaya Singh Files Petition Alleging Irregularities In Lok Sabha Polls "Learn From RSS": Congress' Digvijaya Singh Tells Youth Party Workers Barack Obama Wants Joe Biden To Pull Out Of US Presidential Race: Report World's Largest Isolated Tribe Makes Rare Appearance In New Footage Shooter Had Trump's Face Right In Middle Of Crosshairs, Shows New Video Delhi-San Francisco Air India Flight Diverted To Russia After Engine Glitch Congress Does Not Want Manipur Like Situation In Tripura: Gaurav Gogoi Ice-Cream Shop Owner Hospitalised After Being Shot At In Pune: Cops Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.