The Delhi High Court on Friday issued summons to Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh, Pawan Khera and Netta D’souza in a civil suit filed by Union Cabinet Minister Smriti Irani. The court also directed the congress leaders to remove the post, videos, tweets, retweets, and morphed pictures of the plaintiff and her daughter along with the allegations and stop their recirculation regarding allegations made against her and her daughter.

Union Minister Smriti Irani has filed civil defamation seeking permanent and mandatory injunction along with damages of over Rs 2 crore. Justice Mini Pushkarna stated, “I am of the prima facie view that slanderous allegations were made against the plaintiff without verifying actual facts”. “Grave injury has been caused to the reputation of the plaintiff in view of the tweets and retweets carried out due to the press conference of the defendants”, the court added.

Plaintiff has made out prima facie case and balance of convenience lies in favour of the plaintiff and against the defendants. I deem it proper to pass an interim injunction directing Jairam Ramesh, Pawan Khera and Netta D’souza to delete and remove the allegations made during the press conference from all social media platforms including Youtube, Facebook and Twitter inc.

They are also directed to remove the post, videos, tweets, retweets, morphed pictures of the plaintiff and her daughter along with the allegations and stop their recirculation. If defendants 1-3 fail to comply with the directions within 24 hours of this order, defendants 4-6 (social media platforms) are directed to take down the material, the court added.

Union Minister Smriti Irani has filed a civil defamation seeking permanent and mandatory injunction along with damages of over 2 crores rupees and stated that congress leaders Jairam Ramesh, Pawan Khera and Netta D’souza conspired with other unknown individuals to launch a series of scathing and belligerent personal remarks to malign and defame a young child of the plaintiff who even not lives in the country.

On the Delhi HC proceeding on Friday congress leaders, Jairam Ramesh tweeted that, “The Delhi High Court has issued notice asking us to formally reply to the case filed by Smriti Irani. We look forward to presenting the facts before the court. We will challenge and disprove the spin being put out by Irani.”.