Delhi Court summons Dhruv Rathee in defamation case filed by BJP leader
Delhi: A Delhi court has issued summons to YouTuber Dhruv Rathee in a defamation case filed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suresh Karamshi Nakhua, after Rathee allegedly referred to him as a “violent and abusive” troll in a YouTube video.
District Judge Gunjan Gupta of the Saket Court passed the order on July 19.
The court also issued a notice to Rathee on Nakhua's plea for interim relief, scheduling the next hearing for August 6.
Advocates Raghav Awasthi and Mukesh Sharma appeared for Nakhua.
The defamation case revolves around a video titled “My Reply to Godi Youtubers | Elvish Yadav | Dhruv Rathee,” which Rathee uploaded on his YouTube channel on July 7, 2024. In the video, Rathee allegedly referred to Nakhua, the spokesperson for the Mumbai unit of the BJP, as part of “violent and abusive trolls.” Nakhua claims these allegations are baseless and have tarnished his reputation.
The suit argues, "That the Defendant No.1 [Dhruv Rathee], in a highly provocative and incendiary video that spread like wildfire across digital platforms, made bold and unsubstantiated claims against the Plaintiff. The insidious intent behind this video lies in its unfounded insinuation that the Plaintiff is somehow linked to violent and abusive troll activities.”
Nakhua stated that Rathee’s allegations have led to widespread condemnation and ridicule against him. The suit further contends, "Through this cunningly crafted video, a deliberate campaign to besmirch the Plaintiff's integrity and reputation is apparent, as baseless accusations and malicious connections are artfully insinuated. The primary creator of this video, that is the Plaintiff, seeks not only to cast doubt on the Plaintiff's character but also to tarnish his hard-earned standing in society. This has planted seeds of suspicion and mistrust that can have far-reaching consequences. The repercussions of such false allegations are manifold, extending well beyond the realm of the video itself to irrevocably impact both the personal and professional domains of the Plaintiff, leaving scars that may never fully heal."
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Shivaji statue collapse: Fabricator arrested in UP; used substandard material, say police
Mumbai (PTI): Police have arrested a fabricator of the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj that recently collapsed at a fort in Maharashtra’s Sindhudurg district, triggering a huge political row, an official said on Friday.
Fabricator Parmeshwar Ramnaresh Yadav, who was arrested from Uttar Pradesh, had used substandard material while shaping the 35-foot-tall statue of the Maratha warrior king, he said.
A resident of Mirzapur in UP, Yadav was taken into custody on Thursday after his role in the statue collapse came to light, the official said.
Yadav had been tasked with creating the Shivaji statue by welding separate parts, he said.
Police said the fabricator used inferior material to form the structure and did not join the parts properly through welding.
During a technical analysis, it was found that the collapsed steel statue had rusted in some places, indicating the use of low-quality material, he said.
After his role in the case was established, Yadav was also made an accused and was subsequently placed under arrest on Thursday. He was produced in a court which remanded him in police custody for three days, the official said.
The statue of the 17th-century Maratha empire founder, unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Rajkot fort in Malvan tehsil of Sindhudurg district on December 4 (Navy Day) last year, collapsed on August 26 amid strong winds.
The statue’s sculptor-contractor Jaydeep Apte and consultant Chetan Patil were later arrested.
