A Delhi court has issued a notice to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in a defamation case. The case has been filed by Ankita Pathak, wife of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Durgesh Pathak. He has alleged that Nirmala Sitharaman publicly made false and derogatory allegations by mentioning his name in a press conference, causing deep damage to her image.
Ankita Pathak says that he is a private person who neither has anything to do with politics nor is he part of public life. Despite this, the Finance Minister dragged his name in a press conference during a political dispute and accused him of corruption, which affected his social reputation. He has appealed to the court to curb such irresponsible statements and get justice.
Taking cognizance of his petition, the court issued a notice to Nirmala Sitharaman seeking a reply. The court also admitted that prima facie the case is made of defamation and it requires seriously hearing. The court said that publicly exposing the name of a private person in public without adequate evidence can be a violation of their privacy and dignity.
The case has created a stir in the political corridors. Opposition parties have described this development as another example of the ruling party to target private persons, while the BJP has not yet received any official reaction to it.
This case is not just a legal battle, but highlights the limits of political rhetoric and the conflict of the right to personal dignity. In the coming days, it will be interesting to see what stance the court takes on this issue and whether the matter leaves a permanent impact on the dignity of political dialogue in the country.
