Court declines cognisance of minister’s defamation plaint against AAP city chief

The statements were a reiteration of information already posted on social media by Amarjit Singh Baboo and could not be said to have been made with the intention of harming the complainant’s reputation, it said.

“In view of the above discussion, the tweets and videos posted by the proposed accused cannot amount to the offence of defamation,” the court observed, declining cognisance of the offence under Section 356 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The court also made observations on the obligation of litigants to disclose material facts fully and fairly while seeking judicial relief. It noted that social media posts published from Verma’s own account, including one thanking Baboo for organising a medical camp in memory of Verma’s late father and another wishing him on his birthday, indicated that the two had known each other since Verma’s college days.

The court found this inconsistent with Verma’s statement during his examination on July 4, 2026, that he was not associated with Baboo in any manner. It rejected the argument that photographs of a public figure with several people did not, by themselves, establish an association, observing that a birthday greeting and an acknowledged acquaintance dating back to college could not be explained away on that basis.

The court further observed that an association need not be limited to a community of interest and could also include a companion, friend or known person in common parlance.

Reacting to the order, Bharadwaj said the court had found that his tweets and videos did not amount to defamation. The AAP, in a statement, said the court’s observations had also raised questions about Verma’s claims regarding his association with Baboo.

The court concluded that there were insufficient grounds to take cognisance of the alleged offence of defamation and declined to proceed with the complaint.