SC refuses to quash summons against Manoj Tiwari in Sisodia defamation case

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed an appeal filed by BJP leader Manoj Tiwari challenging an order of Delhi High Court refusing to quash summons issued against him by a trial court in a criminal defamation case filed by Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia.

The top court, however, allowed an appeal filed by BJP MLA Vijender Gupta and quashed the defamation case against him.

The order was passed by a bench comprising Justices S Abdul Nazeer and V Ramasubramanian.

Last month, the top court had reserved its judgement on two petitions moved by Tiwari and Gupta against the Delhi High Court's orders declining to quash magisterial summons in connection with a defamation case filed by Sisodia.

Sisodia had filed the defamation against the two BJP leaders in 2019 for allegedly making statements about his involvement in corruption towards construction of classrooms in Delhi's government schools.

The High Court in hearing the appeal of the summons issued had stated that prima facie, the statements made had harmed the reputation of Sisodia. Tiwari had contended that the entire case was based on legally inadmissible evidence such as newspaper reports.