TMC MP Mahua Moitra Files Defamation Suit Before Delhi High Court Against BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, Advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra has filed a defamation suit before the Delhi High Court against BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, former close friend and lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai and various media organizations over “false and defamatory allegations” against her that she demanded exchange of bribe for asking questions in Parliament.

The suit was listed before Justice Sachin Datta today who said that he will hear the matter on Friday.

Moitra has sought to restrain Dubey, Dehadrai and media from publishing or posting any “false defamatory content” against her on any online or offline platform. She has also sought public apology from Dubey and Dehradrai in three English, Hindi and Bengali newspapers each.

In the interim, Moitra has sought an ex-parte ad-interim injunction against the defendants and removal of the allegedly defamatory content posted against her on social media, including photos, videos, letters and publications. until the disposal of the suit.

The dispute arose after Dubey wrote a complaint to the Lok Sabha Speaker alleging that Moitra purportedly took bribes to ask questions in the Parliament. Dubey claimed that the genesis of the said allegations was a letter addressed to him by Dehadrai.

Moitra yesterday sent a legal notice to Dubey, Dehadrai and media houses wherein she denied the allegations made against her.

The legal notice said that Dubey, for obtaining immediate political mileage, “regurgitated the false and defamatory allegations” in the letter written to the Speaker of the Lok Saba.

“Not only did Noticee No. 1 (Dubey) relay, endorse and exaggerate the false, baseless and per se defamatory allegations against our Client (Moitra), but also proceeded to leak the same to members of the media. Noticee No. 1 and 2 (Dubey and Dehadrai) are both directly responsible for defaming and maligning the reputation and goodwill of our Client for their own respective personal and political vendettas,” the legal notice said.

The legal notice also added that Moitra has never accepted any remuneration or cash or gift or benefit of any kind in relation to the discharge of her duties as a MP, including but not limited to, the questions raised by her in the Parliament.

“Noticee Nos. 1 and 2’s attempts to link the questions raised by our Client to any private persons is laughable and the alleged links themselves highlight that Noticee Nos. 1 and 2 are clutching at straws, reeks of desperation and lacks any specificity regarding evidence / material particulars,” the legal notice said.

Tile: MAHUA MOITRA v. NISHIKANT DUBEY & ORS.