Supreme Court Calls for Amicable Resolution in Chouhan-Tankha Defamation Case

The Supreme Court has urged Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Congress leader Vivek Tankha to amicably resolve a defamation case. Tankha accuses Chouhan and two other BJP leaders of running a defamatory campaign against him over OBC reservation allegations during the 2021 Madhya Pradesh panchayat elections.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday recommended an amicable settlement between Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Congress leader Vivek Tankha in a defamation case. Tankha alleges that Chouhan, along with BJP state president V D Sharma and former minister Bhupendra Singh, engaged in a defamatory campaign accusing him of opposing OBC reservation during the 2021 Madhya Pradesh panchayat elections.

While hearing Chouhan's appeal against a Madhya Pradesh High Court order that refused to dismiss the defamation case, Justices M M Sundresh and Rajesh Bindal advised both parties to resolve the matter without proceeding to a full hearing. The bench extended Chouhan's exemption from personal appearance in court and deferred the case to May 21, advising senior advocates Mahesh Jethmalani and Kapil Sibal to discuss a potential settlement.

Tankha, demanding Rs 10 crore in compensation, claimed that the defamatory statements by the BJP leaders, made in December 2021, harmed his reputation. Under Section 500 of the IPC, a special court in Jabalpur is set to examine the case in January 2024.

(With inputs from agencies.)