New Delhi, Nov 20 (PTI) A court here has summoned Delhi BJP leaders Adesh Gupta, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, Vijendra Gupta and Harish Khurana on a criminal complaint filed by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) for allegedly defaming it.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Dharmender Singh said there were sufficient grounds for proceedings against the leaders.

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"In view of allegations made in complaint, testimonies of witnesses and material brought on record by them, this court is prima facie satisfied that there are sufficient grounds for summoning of all respondents as accused qua offence punishable u/s 500 (defamation) read with section 34 (common intention) of IPC,” the judge said in an order passed on November 18.

The court has directed the accused persons to appear before it on November 27, the next date of hearing.

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The complaint, also jointly filed by DJB vice chairperson and AAP MLA Raghav Chadha, claimed that the accused, in furtherance of their common intention, indulged in malicious campaign to tarnish their reputation.

It alleged that on January 21, a press conference was held by the accused persons, who levelled allegations of corruption against DJB and Chadha.

According to the complaint, the accused deliberately made defamatory statements despite knowledge that it was false and would tarnish the image of complainants.

If convicted, the accused may get a maximum two-year jail term.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)