Delhi Court Dismisses Defamation Plea Against AAP Leader

A Delhi court dismissed a plea by BJP leader Suraj Bhan Chauhan seeking prosecution of AAP's Saurabh Bharadwaj for alleged defamatory comments made in 2018. The special judge rejected the petition citing delayed filing and deemed Chauhan's actions whimsical amid the approaching Delhi elections in early 2025.

A Delhi court has dismissed a defamation plea filed by BJP leader Suraj Bhan Chauhan against AAP's Saurabh Bharadwaj. Chauhan had accused Bharadwaj of defaming him by falsely claiming that an FIR had been lodged against him during a 2018 press conference.

Special Judge Vishal Gogne upheld a previous ruling, rejecting Chauhan's complaint due to delayed filing. The court found no justification for the delay and criticized Chauhan's conduct as 'whimsical and opportunistic', noting he only filed the complaint again near the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections.

The magisterial court had initially dismissed the plea, citing the lapse of the three-year limitation period. Despite Chauhan's arguments for delay condonation, the court found them insufficient, affirming the original dismissal and reinforcing the importance of adhering to legal timelines.

(With inputs from agencies.)