The Kerala High Court has stayed proceedings in a criminal defamation case filed by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor against Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami, Live Law reported. Justice K Abraham Mathew on Tuesday ordered an interim stay and issued a notice to Tharoor.
The Congress leader, who represents Thiruvananthapuram in the Lok Sabha, filed the case in June, accusing Goswami of making baseless statements in connection with the death of his wife Sunanda Pushkar. A chief judicial magistrate’s court in Thiruvananthapuram had issued summons to Goswami, contending that there was enough material for a prima facie case against him.
Senior advocate P Vijaya Bhanu, the journalist’s counsel, argued that Tharoor, in his complaint, suppressed the fact that the Delhi Police has filed a chargesheet against the parliamentarian in a court in Delhi and named him as an accused in the case. Bhanu also argued that Tharoor’s complaint was filed to further his personal enmity against Goswami.
Last month, Tharoor also filed a criminal defamation complaint against Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad for calling him an “accused in a case of murder”.
Tharoor has been charged under sections 498A (husband or his relative subjecting a woman to cruelty) and 306 (abetment of suicide) of the Indian Penal Code.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!