Court gives more time to Dikshit, Gupta to settle dispute

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday told the counsels for chief minister Sheila Dikshit and BJP state president Vijender Gupta to amicably settle the dispute on a defamation suit filed by Dikshit against Gupta.

Granting them more time, Justice Kailash Gambhir asked the counsels to meet on May 19 at the office of senior counsel Aman Lekhi, who is appearing for Gupta, to resolve the dispute.

The court’s direction came after it was informed that both leaders were busy due to civic polls in Delhi last month, and they were unable to instruct their counsels for a settlement. 

Third time

This is the third time that the court has granted more time to both parties to resolve the issue. Even on March 15 and April 24, the court had asked the counsels to settle the matter soon.

Dikshit had filed the defamation against Gupta for allegedly making false remarks against her.

Earlier, Gupta had filed an application seeking dismissal of the case, saying a fair criticism of the government was part of a democracy. 

“The statement was made against the government and nothing personal was said against the chief minister,” said senior counsel Aman Lekhi.

The court has fixed May 29 as the next date for hearing. 

Gupta allegedly accused her of conniving with private discoms and corruption in determining new power tariff. 

Dikshit, who had demanded a token Re 1 as damages in her suit, alleged that the BJP under Gupta’s leadership in June 2010 had erected hoardings in Delhi, proclaiming that her government had “openly looted thousands of crore of rupees”.