Delhi HC to consider Moitra’s request to halt BJP MP, others from spreading ‘defamatory’ content

Today, the Delhi High Court is set to address a significant legal matter brought forth by TMC MP Mahua Moitra. Her petition seeks restraining orders against BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, a legal advocate, various social media platforms, and media outlets from disseminating or publishing fake and defamatory content targeting her. This legal action, initiated on October 17, has been scheduled for hearing before Justice Sachin Datta.

Representing Krishnanagar in West Bengal, Moitra is seeking a permanent injunction against several entities, including Dubey, advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai, social media platform X, search engine Google, YouTube, and 15 media houses. Her objective is to prevent them from creating, publishing, or circulating statements that are intrinsically defamatory, manifestly false, and malicious. Additionally, she is pursuing compensation for the alleged damages incurred.

Nishikant Dubey has levied accusations against Moitra, claiming that she accepted bribes from a businessman in exchange for posing certain questions in Parliament. He has urged Speaker Om Birla to form an inquiry committee to investigate these allegations. Dubey has referenced a letter from advocate Dehadrai, which he perceives as containing “undeniable” evidence of bribes given to the Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader by a businessman.

In his letter addressed to the Lok Sabha speaker, Dubey contended that a substantial portion of the questions posed by Moitra in the Lok Sabha primarily focused on the Adani Group, a corporate conglomerate that the TMC MP has consistently accused of unethical practices, particularly after a critical report by short seller Hindenburg Research.

In her plea to the high court, Moitra vehemently denies these allegations, asserting that they are a deliberate effort to tarnish her reputation. She is seeking a legal directive compelling the defendants to remove all purportedly defamatory and scandalous content, encompassing posts, tweets, retweets, and captions published on their respective platforms that target her.