Advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai Assures Delhi High Court He Won't Allege That BJD MP Pinaki Misra Conspired Against Prime Minister

Advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai on Wednesday assured the Delhi High Court that he will not make any allegations that Biju Janata Dal MP and Senior Advocate Pinaki Misra is involved in any criminal conspiracy against the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, in view of Dehadrai's complaint pending before the CBI.

Justice Jasmeet Singh summoned Dehadrai in the defamation suit filed by Misra seeking to restrain the former from publishing or circulating allegedly false and defamatory allegations against him.

The court directed Dehadrai him to file written statement within four weeks. 

Justice Singh also summoned media houses ANI and Press Trust of India, the other two defendants in the suit. ANI was represented by Advocate Siddhant Kumar.

The matter will now be heard on August 12. 

Earlier today, the court remarked that hatching conspiracy against the Prime Minister tantamount to treason and prima facie, the allegations of conspiracy against the Prime Minister cannot be made against any person irresponsibly.

“The allegations of conspiracy against the Prime Minister cannot be made irresponsibly and needs to be based on cogent and substantial reasons,” Justice Singh had said.

Advocate Samudra Sarangi appeared for Misra. Advocate Raghav Awasthi appeared for Dehadrai.

Detailed arguments from today's hearing can be read here.

In the post lunch session, Awasthi assured court that till the next date of hearing, no allegations will be made by Dehadrai that Misra is involved in any criminal conspiracy against the Prime Minister, in view of Dehadrai's complaint pending before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Awasthi handed over to the court a copy of Dehadrai's statement made to the CBI. He said that the Lokpal of India has asked the CBI to investigate all the aspects of Dehadrai's allegations.

To this, Justice Singh responded: “Then you don't say it no. It has serious repercussions on the general public that there is a conspiracy against the highest office bearer of the country. You wait for the investigation before saying that. You are making statement that he is part of the conspiracy.”

Awasthi responded that if there is an ongoing investigation in relation to Dehadrai's allegations, then it cannot be a subject of Misra's suit.

He submitted that the allegations are being investigated by CBI as per the order of the Lokpal of India and thus, it cannot, at this stage, be adjudicated.

Dehadrai personally assured the court that he will hold his tongue and will not say anything against Misra as far as the allegations of being involved in conspiring against the Prime Minister is concerned.

Sarangi then submitted that the order of the Lokpal of India does not make a single allegation against Misra and that the CBI FIR does not name him.

In the suit, Misra has said that after personal differences arose between Dehadrai and TMC leader Mahua Moitra, the lawyer made a barrage of allegations not only against her but persons with whom she shared a personal relationship, including the BJD leader.

Misra has said that Dehadrai published various tweets against him on X platform “through several coined pseudonyms” such as “Canning Lane” and “Oriya / Odia Babu”.

He has said that he was also summoned by the CBI as part of a preliminary inquiry being conducted by them pursuant to directions by the Lokpal of India in relation to cash for query allegations against Mahua Moitra.

The suit states that Misra has not been named in CBI's FIR in any manner, nor any allegation has been made against him.

Misra has denied Dehadrai's allegation that Rs. 2 crores in cash was kept with him to make purchases on behalf of Mahua Moitra of high value items.

Misra is aggrieved by an interview given by Dehadrai to news agencies ANI and PTI after hearing in his defamation case against Moitra.

The suit states that in the interview, Dehadrai names Misra for the first time and made “wild, imaginary, false, reckless and per se defamatory allegations” against him.

Other defendants in the suit are ANI, PTI and X (formerly Twitter).

Title: PINAKI MISRA v. JAI ANANT DEHADRAI & ORS.