Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court summons minister Atishi in defamation case over 'poaching' remark

Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court on Tuesday summoned AAP leader and minister Atishi to appear before it on June 29 in connection with a defamation case filed by BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor. The direction came after the court admitted the defamation suit filed by Delhi BJP's Media Department Head Praveen Shankar Kapoor against Atishi and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. 

Atishi had recently alleged that the BJP attempted to bribe and poach AAP legislators. Kapoor claimed the allegations damaged his and his party's reputation. Taking cognisance of the charges, the court identified Atishi as an accused and ordered her to appear on June 29.

In his application in the court, Kapoor cited a social media post by Kejriwal in which the AAP supremo alleged that the BJP had contacted seven AAP MLAs and was offering Rs 25 crore to switch sides.

He also cited Atishi's claim that she had received an offer to join the BJP to "save" her "political career" or be ready to be arrested by the Enforcement Directorate. "The BJP has approached me through someone very close. They have asked me to join the BJP and said this will save my political career. They have threatened that if I don't switch over, ED will arrest me within a month," Atishi said at a press conference in April.

The court also reserved an order on the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) supplementary chargesheet (prosecution complaint) filed against Kejriwal, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in connection with a money laundering case related to the Excise Policy case. The court fixed June 4 for the pronouncement of the order on cognizance of the chargesheet.

(With inputs from Anmol Nath Bali)