HC orders takedown of posts linking Gautam

THE Delhi HC on Wednesday directed the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party to remove within 24 hours social media posts linking BJP leader Dushyant Kumar Gautam to the 2022 Ankita Bhandari murder case.

- UDAYAN KISHORE @ New Delhi

In an interim order passed on a defamation lawsuit by Gautam, Justice Mini Pushkarna also restrained the two political parties from posting any content targeting the BJP national secretary as the alleged "VIP" in the murder case. The judge passed the ad-interim ex parte order in favour of Gautam after finding that a prima facie case of defamation was made out.

"Considering the facts and circumstances, a prima facie case exists ... The balance of convenience lay in favour of the plaintiff, and irreparable injury would be caused if immediate restraint was not granted," the judge observed.