The Delhi High Court on Friday summoned senior Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh, Pawan Khera and Netta D’ Souza in a civil defamation case filed by Union Minister Smriti Irani and ordered them to remove their social media posts against Irani and her daughter. The minister had sought Rs 2 crore from the Congress leaders for their defaming her and her daughter.
Justice Mini Pushkarna found that the case was in favour of the Union Minister and against the Congress leaders.
The Court then passed an interim injunction directing the Congress leaders to delete and remove allegations made by them during the press conference from all social media platforms/You Tube/Instagram/Facebook and Twitter.
The Court warned that if the defendants didn’t comply with directions within 24 hours of the order, the defendant’s social media platforms will be directed to take down the material.
The court viewed that the allegations were made against Irani without verifying actual facts and said there was no license ever issued to Irani (Smriti Irani’s daughter Zoish Irani).
The senior Congress leaders had alleged in a press conference that Smriti Irani’s daughter was running a bar in Goa named 5 Soul Cafe and Bar, without a valid liquor license.
Irani had denied the allegations and said the charges were intended to hurt her reputation. She then sent a notice to the Congress leaders.
The notice accused the Congress leaders of stooping to a new low, morally and ethically, by attacking Irani’s young daughter who was in her first year in an university and at the threshold of a new chapter of her life pursuing her professional inspiration.