Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra has urged the Delhi High Court to stay the legal proceedings against her in the trial court in connection to the defamation case filed by Zee News and its editor-in-chief Sudhir Chaudhary.
Mahua Moitra has challenged the summons and the charges framed against her. She has also sought the directions from High Court to prepare a date for the hearing of her petition which is scheduled on February 18.
The matter came up for hearing before Justice Mukta Gupta. Justice Gupta recorded the statement of counsel appearing for Zee Media Corporation Ltd in which it has been communicated that they will not get their witnesses examined before the trial court till the matter comes up for hearing before the High Court.
MP has challenged the trial court’s orders dated September 25, 2019 and January 10, 2020 as per which she was summoned as an accused and also defamation charges were framed against her.
Senior counsel, Kapil Sibal appearing for Mahua Moitra has sought the preponement of the date of hearing of her matter before the Delhi High Court citing the grounds that the defamation case is already listed for hearing before trial court on January 8.
Advocate Vijay Aggarwal, appearing for media house Zee Media Corporation Ltd, has recorded his statement before the High Court that they will not get their witnesses examined before the lower court on Friday and will seek adjournment.
After recording the statement, Delhi High Court disposed of the fresh plea filed by Mahua Moitra.
Senior advocate Vikas Pahwa and advocate Adit S Pujari, also appearing for Moitra, told the court that no opportunity is provided to Moitra by the trial court to seek discharge and to advance her arguments.
The Member of Parliament claimed that all these legal proceedings are counterblast to the defamation complaint filed by her against Zee News and its editor-in-chief Sudhir Chaudhary.
On December 17, 2019, the trial court had granted bail to Moitra on the personal bond of Rs 20,000. The court had also asked both the parties if there are any chances of settlement to which Moitra had denied.
The defamation case is related to the politician Mahua Moitra’s June 25, 2019 speech in Parliament in connection to the “Seven Signs of Fascism” and a programme run by a news channel.
Prior to this, Mahua Moitra had filed a criminal defamation case against Zee news and its editor-in-chief Sudhir Chaudhary in connection to show aired on the channel about one of her Parliament speeches.
