SC quashes defamation complaint against Tejashwi Yadav as remarks on Gujaratis withdrawn
Feb 13, 2024
New Delhi [India], February 13 : The Supreme Court on Tuesday quashed a criminal defamation complaint against Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav filed over his remarks against Gujaratis.
A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan quashed the complaint as Yadav withdrew his "only Gujaratis can be thugs" remark.
"We have quashed the case in view of the petitioner (Yadav) withdrawing his statements on record. Accordingly disposed of," said the bench passing the order.
The order of the top court came on the plea of Yadav seeking transfer of the criminal defamation complaint pending against him in an Ahmedabad court over his remarks on Gujaratis, from Gujarat to a 'neutral place', preferably Delhi.
Earlier, Yadav's counsel told the bench that he had withdrawn his remark and the Supreme Court took on record a statement of apology.
Earlier, the bench had stayed the proceedings in the criminal defamation complaint.
The criminal defamation complaint was filed against the RJD leader by Hareshbhai Mehta, the vice president of an organisation called the All India Anti-Corruption and Crime Preventive Council.
The complaint against Yadav was filed under sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for alleged criminal defamation.
It was filed before a magistrate court in Ahmedabad, Gujarat after he allegedly said that "only Gujaratis can be thugs".
"Only Gujaratis can be thugs in the present situation, and their fraud (crime) will be forgiven. Who will be responsible if they abscond after they are offered the money belonging to the LIC and bank?" Yadav had said in March last year.
In the defamation case, Mehta had said that the statement was made in public and called the entire Gujarati community thugs to defame and humiliate all Gujaratis in public.
