The Delhi High Court has issued a summons to Congress leader Shashi Tharoor in response to a defamation suit filed by BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar. The suit alleges that Tharoor made false and defamatory statements during the 2024 General Elections, accusing Chandrasekhar of bribing voters in the Thiruvananthapuram constituency. In his plea, Chandrasekhar has sought Rs 10 crore in damages, a public apology, and an order restraining Tharoor from making further defamatory remarks. Justice Purushainder Kumar Kaurav’s bench has directed Tharoor to respond to the charges, with the case scheduled for its next hearing on April 28, 2025.
According to Chandrasekhar, Tharoor’s remarks, made on national television and widely circulated on news channels and social media, were intended to tarnish his reputation and influence the election results. The BJP leader asserts that the allegations significantly impacted his electoral prospects, leading to his loss in the Lok Sabha elections. The defamation suit claims that Tharoor’s statements, allegedly made in April 2024, caused severe damage to Chandrasekhar’s professional and personal standing.
Chandrasekhar’s legal team, led by Senior Advocate Vaibhav Gaggar and the firm Karanjawala & Company, argues that Tharoor deliberately spread misleading information among Thiruvananthapuram’s voters, including accusations of bribing key community figures such as parish priests. The BJP leader contends that these statements were entirely baseless and designed to mislead the electorate. The court’s summons marks the beginning of legal proceedings, with further developments expected in the coming months.