Interim Relief Granted to Ex-MLA Suresh Rathore in Defamation Case

The Uttarakhand High Court has provided interim protection to former MLA Suresh Rathore in a defamation case. Rathore is accused of spreading false information about Dushyant Kumar Gautam on social media. The court stayed any coercive action against him, following arguments by his legal counsel.

In a pivotal decision on Tuesday, the Uttarakhand High Court granted former MLA Suresh Rathore interim protection in a high-profile defamation lawsuit. Rathore is contesting multiple First Information Reports (FIRs) filed across state districts, accusing him of disseminating defamatory content on social media platforms.

The legal actions, initiated on December 24 in Haridwar district, implicate Rathore under sections 248(B) and 336(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. It is alleged that Rathore aimed to damage the reputation of Dushyant Kumar Gautam, the international president of Shiromani Guru Ravidas Shiv Mahapeeth. Rathore, however, refutes these claims, citing a political vendetta as the motive behind the accusations.

Representing Rathore, Advocate Vaibhav Chauhan contended that no plausible grounds exist for charges under the cited sections, as his client did not engage in any acts of forgery or instigate false criminal proceedings. The court, led by Justice Ashish Naithani, accepted these arguments and suspended any enforced actions against Rathore linked to the contentious FIRs.

(With inputs from agencies.)