New Delhi, 05 October (H.S.): Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Neha Mittal of the Rouse Avenue Court has scheduled October 10 for pronouncing the verdict in a criminal defamation case filed by Delhi government minister Parvesh Verma against Aam Aadmi Party’s Delhi unit president Saurabh Bharadwaj. The court had reserved its order on September 25.

Earlier, on September 1, the court had passed an interim order restraining Parvesh Verma from tampering with any social media posts or digital evidence related to the criminal defamation proceedings. The court had issued notice to Saurabh Bharadwaj on August 8. Parvesh Verma recorded his statement before the court on July 4.

In his statement, Parvesh Verma alleged that Saurabh Bharadwaj had made false allegations with the intention of damaging the reputation of him and his family. He alleged that Bharadwaj had falsely claimed that Verma, while serving as a minister, had misused his position to appoint an alleged associate as a trustee of a private school trust worth approximately Rs 500 crore.

In his criminal defamation complaint, Parvesh Verma alleged that Saurabh Bharadwaj had published social media posts on May 15 and 16 with the intention of defaming him. The complaint states that Bharadwaj had falsely alleged that Verma had misused his position as a minister to appoint his alleged associate as a trustee of a private school trust valued at around Rs 500 crore.

The complaint further alleges that Bharadwaj had also claimed that Verma acted in favour of school employees who were accused in a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) case. Verma has contended that the posts were deliberately made to damage his reputation in the eyes of the public.

In connection with the same matter, Parvesh Verma has also filed a civil defamation suit against Saurabh Bharadwaj before the Delhi High Court. In the civil defamation proceedings, Verma has sought damages of Rs 5 crore from Bharadwaj.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar