The Delhi High Court on Friday, July 29, 2022 asked Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh, Pawan Khera and Netta D’Souza to remove allegedly defamatory tweets and posts from social media in relation to the allegations made against Union Minister Smriti Irani and her daughter.
Justice Mini Pushkarna also issued summons to Congress leaders on a civil defamation suit filed by the Union minister seeking damages of over ₹2 crore for allegedly making baseless allegations against her and her daughter.
The High Court said in case the Congress leaders do not comply with the directions to remove the allegdly defamatory materials within 24 hours, social media platforms Twitter, Facebook and YouTube will take down the material.
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The Congress leaders had alleged that her 18-year-old daughter, Zoish Irani, ran a bar illegally in Goa and also demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi sack her from his Cabinet over the issue.
On July 24, Ms. Irani, who holds the portfolio of Ministry of Women and Child Development and Ministry of Minority Affairs, had sent legal notices to the Congress leaders demanding them to apologise for their “baseless and false” allegations against her and her daughter.
Ms. Irani had cautioned that if the Congress leaders do not tender an unconditional and unequivocal apology and withdraw their allegations, she will initiate civil and criminal proceedings against them.
