A Delhi court has issued a notice to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in connection with a criminal defamation case filed by Lipika Mitra, the wife of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Somnath Bharti. The complaint accuses Sitharaman of making defamatory statements regarding Mitra and Bharti’s personal lives during a press conference held on May 17, 2024.

The matter came up before Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Paras Dalal, who noted that the case is at the stage of cognisance. In an order dated May 19, the court stated that, under the provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), the proposed accused must be given an opportunity to be heard. The court directed that notice be issued to Sitharaman, with the next hearing scheduled for June 12.

Mitra has alleged that the finance minister made remarks alluding to past marital discord between the couple, while deliberately omitting the fact that they had reconciled and were living together in harmony since 2019.

According to the complaint, these comments were allegedly aimed at damaging Bharti’s public image and electoral prospects in the New Delhi parliamentary constituency, where he was contesting as an AAP candidate. Mitra contends that the remarks were made "solely for political gain" and were "false, malicious, and misleading.”

Mitra is represented by advocate Anand Prakash Gautam and her husband, Somnath Bharti. The complaint also highlights that the couple’s earlier disputes had been resolved in 2019, a fact that had been widely reported at the time.

The court has now registered the matter and will consider further proceedings after Sitharaman responds to the notice.

(Edited by : Shoma Bhattacharjee)