On Monday, the Supreme Court requested responses from the Delhi government and BJP leader Rajiv Babbar. This follows a plea from Delhi Chief Minister Atishi and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, who are challenging a high court ruling that refused to dismiss a defamation case against them.
Moreover, a bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti issued a notice and stayed the trial court proceedings. This decision highlights the ongoing tensions between political factions in Delhi.
Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi represents Atishi and Kejriwal. He argued that Babbar initiated the defamation case as an authorized representative of BJP Delhi. Singhvi emphasized, “Neither the central nor the Delhi BJP has filed any complaint. Babbar is not the individual I am accused of defaming.”
Conversely, senior advocate Sonia Mathur, representing Babbar, contended that the BJP leader filed the case on behalf of the party. This underscores the party’s collective stance in the matter.
In addition, Atishi and Kejriwal are contesting a September 2 order from the Delhi High Court. The court upheld the defamation proceedings, noting that their remarks about alleged voter name deletions could harm the BJP‘s reputation. The high court deemed these allegations potentially defamatory, suggesting they were intended to vilify the party for political gain.
Consequently, the court dismissed pleas from Atishi, Kejriwal, and two other AAP leaders—Sushil Kumar Gupta and Manoj Kumar—who sought to challenge the ongoing proceedings.
As the case progresses, it highlights the complexities of political discourse and legal accountability in India. Therefore, the Supreme Court‘s upcoming decisions will be critical. They will not only affect the parties involved but also have broader implications for political speech and defamation laws.
Kolkata: On Friday, January 10, 2026, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha members demonstrated against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her actions after the ED raids at the I-PAC office and its chief Pratik Jain's home. | In relation to an alleged coal smuggling case that stretches back a few years, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) searched the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) office and Pratik Jain's home on Loudon Street in Kolkata on Thursday, January 8, 2025. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched a protest against the ED raids on I-PAC after the raid set off a political storm in the state. Why is a chief minister endorsing Pratik Jain, and who is he? Pratik Jain, a political strategist and co-founder of I-PAC, is a graduate of IIT Bombay. He is credited with helping I-PAC grow into one of the most significant political consulting organizations in India. I-PAC was established in 2015 and offers services like data-driven campaign management, support for governance, and voter outreach initiatives. It has collaborated with a number of Indian political groups throughout the years, notably West Bengal's Trinamool Congress (TMC). I-PAC reportedly collaborates closely with Abhishek Banerjee, the national general secretary of the Trinamool Congress, and his office. The company oversees the IT and media division of the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC and is in charge of creating its election campaigns. Mr. Jain was in charge of the Trinamool Congress's IT cell, according to Ms. Banerjee. According to his LinkedIn page, Jain, an engineering graduate from IIT Bombay, started his career as an analyst at the consulting firm Deloitte. He was one of the first members of Citizens of Accountable Governance, which later evolved into I-PAC. Arvind Kejriwal, M.K. Stalin, Jaganmohan Reddy, Uddhav Thackeray, Rahul Gandhi, and Nitish Kumar are just a few of the prominent figures with whom the political consultancy firm has collaborated.…
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