Smriti Irani issued notice in 2013 defamation case

In 2012, while participating in a news debate on a private television channel, Irani and Nirupam got into a heated verbal exchange.

Union Minister Smriti Irani - (Source: PTI)

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to examine Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam's appeal for quashing a defamation case filed against him by Union Minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani in 2013.

The court issued a notice to Irani in this regard. Nirupam has sought for the setting aside of the summons issued against him by a trial court in a criminal defamation complaint filed by Irani. "Why do you go for TV debates when you enter into a fight and then go to the court," said the Supreme Court as it agrees to examine the appeal by the Congress leader In 2012, while participating in a news debate on a private television channel, Irani and Nirupam got into a heated verbal exchange. Nirupam reportedly questioned Irani's credentials saying: "You used to charge money to perform dance shows on TV. Now you are an election analyst?" Irani filed the defamation suit against Nirupam in 2013. He also filed a cross-defamation suit. In 2014, Irani, then Union Human Resource Development Minister, filed a plea in the Delhi High Court seeking to quash the complaint against her by Nirupam, and also the summons issued to her by the trial court. In his turn, Nirupam challenged the complaint filed by Irani, and the court's 2013 order summoning him over the complaint. The Delhi High Court then set aside the proceedings of the trial court against Irani in the 2012 defamation case filed by Nirupam. The Congress leader, however, did not get any relief in the defamation case filed against him by Irani.