Bharatiya Janata Party leader Shazia Ilmi on Friday filed a defamation suit before the Delhi High Court against journalist Rajdeep Sardesai in connection with a video he uploaded accusing her of abusing an India Today video journalist, reported Bar and Bench.
The incident occurred on July 26, when Ilmi was participating in a debate on the India Today news channel on the Agnipath scheme. However, she left the debate in the middle claiming that her mic was cut off by Sardesai with an intent to censor her.
“Remember I have been on both the sides and know how to handle bullies like you,” she had said in a post on X referring to Sardesai on July 26. “By the way it doesn’t behove political propagandists masquerading as journalists to sermonise.”
Ilmi also alleged that the cameraperson continued to film her after the show was over despite her physical and emotional discomfort.
In response, Sardesai uploaded a video on X on July 27 showing Ilmi removing her mic and getting angry at the India Today cameraperson for allegedly recording her. The video showed Ilmi asking the video journalist to leave her house.
Sardesai shared the video on X denying Ilmi’s allegations that she was muted during the debate.
“If anything, I am too indulgent: the fader is lowered only to avoid crosstalk and noise on the show,” he said. “If you have a grouse with me or with an army general on the show, of course that’s your prerogative. And I respect that too. But for you to chuck the Mike and abuse our video journalist and throw him out of your house is just NOT done.”
Sardesai said that the cameraperson was only doing his job and there is no excuse for “bad behaviour”.
On Friday, Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora of the Delhi High Court directed Sardesai and India Today to furnish the complete, unedited video by Monday and listed the case for hearing on Tuesday.
Advocate Natasha Garg, appearing for Ilmi, told the court that the video is still available online and viewers are posting derogatory comments and trolling her. Ilmi has asked the court to direct that tweets by Sardesai be made private till the matter is heard.
The court, however, refused to pass such an order and listed the matter for August 13.
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