New Delhi: A Delhi court has summoned Delhi minister and AAP leader Atishi in connection with a defamation case filed by Delhi BJP's media head Praveen Shankar Kapoor. Atishi has been asked to appear before the court on June 29. This case relates to allegations made by Atishi that the BJP attempted to bribe and poach AAP legislators.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who was also named in the defamation case, has not been summoned. The court said no prima facie offence was established against Kejriwal and thus no case was made against him.
Kapoor had claimed the allegations by Atishi damaged his and his party's reputation. Taking cognisance of the allegations, the court identified Atishi as an accused and ordered her to appear on June 29.
The BJP leader had filed the defamation case on April 30, alleging that AAP leaders failed to furnish any material to substantiate their poaching claims.
In his application in the court, Kapoor cited a social media post by Arvind Kejriwal in which the AAP supremo alleged that the BJP had contacted seven AAP MLAs and was offering Rs 25 crore to switch sides.
He also cited Atishi's claim that she had received an offer to join the BJP to "save" her "political career", failing which she would be arrested by the Enforcement Directorate.
"The BJP has approached me through someone very close. They have asked me to join the BJP and said this will save my political career. They have threatened that if I don't switch over, ED will arrest me within a month," Atishi said at a press conference in April.
The AAP leader also claimed that she, along with party colleagues Saurabh Bharadwaj, Raghav Chadha, and Durgesh Pathak, would be arrested in the next two months.
In his petition, the BJP leader sought the withdrawal of the remarks made by Atishi and an apology on TV and social media.
Meanwhile, reacting to the court's summons to Atishi, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal claimed that AAP leaders were being arrested in "completely flimsy, frivolous and false cases".
"I had said earlier that they will arrest Atishi next. They are planning to do so now. Complete dictatorship. In completely flimsy, frivolous and false cases, they are arresting ALL leaders of AAP one by one. Every single opposition leader will be arrested if Modi ji comes back to power. AAP is not important. Saving our dear country from dictatorship is important," Arvind Kejriwal tweeted.
