New Delhi, 07 January (H.S.): In a decisive interim ruling on Wednesday, the Delhi High Court mandated that the Congress party and the Aam Aadmi Party immediately remove social media posts falsely associating BJP national secretary Dushyant Kumar Gautam with the infamous 2022 murder of receptionist Ankita Bhandari.

Justice Mini Pushkarna issued the order in response to a defamation suit filed by Gautam, who accused the rival parties of maliciously branding him as the shadowy VIP implicated in the high-profile case.

The Uttarakhand resort receptionist was allegedly killed by her employers, with the investigation drawing intense scrutiny over unsubstantiated claims of political involvement. Gautam's petition highlighted how these posts had proliferated online, tarnishing his reputation without evidence.

The court directed both parties to delete the offending content within 24 hours, while simultaneously prohibiting any further publications that target Gautam in connection with the murder. Justice Pushkarna emphasized the urgency, stipulating that failure to comply would prompt social media platforms—such as X and Facebook—to execute the takedowns under prevailing regulatory frameworks.

This development intensifies the legal skirmishes among Delhi's political heavyweights ahead of upcoming elections, where accusations of smear campaigns have become commonplace. Gautam, a prominent BJP figure, maintains that the posts stem from partisan vendettas aimed at derailing his career.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar