Delhi Court Rejects Defamation Plea Against AAP Leader Saurabh Bhardwaj
· India · The Hindu, Live Law
A Rouse Avenue court in New Delhi has dismissed a criminal defamation complaint filed by Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Parvesh Verma against AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj. Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Neha Mittal declined to take cognisance of the plea on Saturday, October 10, 2026. Mr. Verma had accused the AAP leader of publishing malicious content on social media platforms including X, Instagram, and Facebook. The complaint alleged that Mr. Bhardwaj claimed the Deputy Chief Minister used political influence to benefit school officials tied to a POCSO Act case. The court held that Mr. Bhardwaj's statements were framed as questions and did not constitute defamation.
Why it matters
The ruling sets a legal benchmark on how political remarks framed as questions on social media are evaluated under defamation laws.
Read the original report — The Hindu
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