New Delhi, April 25 Advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai assured the Delhi High Court on Wednesday that he would refrain from making any statements accusing BJD MP Pinaki Misra of conspiring against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The court was hearing a defamation suit filed by Misra against Dehadrai over claims of corruption.
Dehadrai gave this undertaking after Justice Jasmeet Singh noted that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is already investigating a complaint lodged by Dehadrai against Misra. The court recorded Dehadrai's assurance, which will remain in effect until the next hearing.
Earlier on Wednesday, the court observed that the allegations of conspiracy against the Prime Minister cannot be made irresponsibly and need to be based on “cogent and substantial reasons".
The court said the conspiracy to target the PM is an offence under the IPC.
“It is treason,” Justice Jasmeet Singh said.
Dehadrai pledged not to make any public statements alleging that Misra was involved in a conspiracy against PM Modi.
Advocate Raghav Awasthi appearing for Dehadrai assured the court that no allegations of Misra's involvement in a criminal conspiracy against the Prime Minister would be made. The court recorded this undertaking in its order, specifying that it would remain valid until the next hearing.
Misra, who is also a senior advocate, has sought the relief of permanent injunction and damages against the defendants -- Dehadrai, ANI, PTI, and X -- urging the court to restrain them from making, publishing, or circulating ex facie false and defamatory allegations against him.
Misra is a BJD MP representing the Puri Lok Sabha constituency in Odisha.
He has also alleged that Dehadrai called him “Canning Lane”, “Odia Babu”, and “Dalal of Puri”.
Advocate Samudra Sarangi appeared for Misra and Dehadrai while represented by advocate Raghav Awasthi.
On the allegation of Misra being the architect of the conspiracy to target the Prime Minister, his counsel Sarangi said that "my party (BJD) is ideologically aligned with the BJP and the Prime Minister".
The judge also asked Dehadrai’s counsel how Misra targeted the Prime Minister.
The court said, “These are very serious allegations against the PM. You can't be trigger-happy. You are levelling serious allegations of conspiracy against the PM by a sitting MP. You explain it or I will injunct you.”
Awasthi responded by saying that his client had personally witnessed it.
“The second aspect is the sworn affidavit by Darshan Hiranandani,” Awasthi said.
Making submissions by himself, Dehadrai said, “I have personally witnessed conversations between Hiranandani, Ms (Mahua) Moitra and Pinaki Misra. Misra would write her speeches and explain what kind of allegations to make.”
Justice Singh said, “What you are saying has very serious consequences. It affects the highest office of the country.”
He added, “When you say conspiracy against the PM, it is a very serious issue. You may say the plaintiff is a politician and he can't be thin-skinned, I agree with that. But what you are alleging is very serious.”
Misra has alleged that on October 14, 2023, a CBI complaint was filed by Dehadrai against Trinamool leader Mahua Moitra wherein he made a slew of allegations against her on account of personal differences between them.
Later, Misra alleged, Dehadrai created a pseudonymous account named 'Chandraswami Pinaki Moitra' (this account was previously named 'Ahmed Ansari') and published the first tweet on this account.
He began publishing tweets which contained references to 'Canning Lane' and 'Oriya Babu/Odia Babu'.
Misra has claimed that Dehadrai published a tweet with a picture of Moitra speaking in the Parliament, with Misra seated adjacent to her.
He further alleged that Dehadrai published a tweet with various pictures of Moitra and him (Misra) during Lok Sabha proceedings, along with tweets indicating the actual target of his allegations.
Misra also accused Dehadrai of specifically naming him in his interviews to ANI and PTI, saying Dehadrai made ex facie false and per se defamatory allegations, and continued to publish tweets with fraudulent, frivolous, and baseless allegations against him without having any shred of evidence.
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