On Tuesday, a Delhi court granted YouTuber Dhruv Rathee an extension to file a reply to a plea lodged by BJP leader Suresh Karamshi Nakhua. This plea is for a temporary injunction in the defamation case Nakhua has filed against Rathee.
During the proceedings, Rathee’s lawyer requested additional time, explaining that Rathee does not currently reside in India and therefore needs to obtain instructions from him. Advocate Raghav Awasthi, representing Nakhua, countered that in today’s digital age, communication via email should suffice for such matters.
Despite this, the court directed Rathee to file his replies and set the next hearing for August 16, 2024. In the defamation case, Nakhua has applied for a temporary injunction under Order 39, Rules 1 and 2 of the Civil Procedure Code. He alleges that Rathee’s tweets are causing significant damage to his reputation. During the hearing, Rathee’s counsel argued that the court fees paid by Nakhua were insufficient and requested that the matter not proceed until the correct fees were submitted.
The counsel for Nakhua was instructed by the court to rectify the court fee deficiency within a week. Additionally, Rathee’s lawyer indicated an intention to present Nakhua’s tweets as evidence, asserting that they contain abusive language directed at women and others. Rathee’s lawyer argued that these tweets are inconsistent with Nakhua’s claims of defamation.
In response, Awasthi mentioned that he possesses new evidence of abusive messages received by his client. The court noted that this case involves legal questions pertinent to defamation and must be resolved through legal arguments and evidence.
Previously, Delhi’s Saket Court had issued a summons to Rathee concerning a Rs 20 lakh defamation suit filed by Nakhua. Nakhua claims that Rathee’s YouTube video, titled “My Reply to Godi Youtubers, Elvish Yadav,” involved false accusations that damaged his personal and professional reputation.