'Irani and her daughter not owners of restaurant, never applied for licence'

New Delhi: The Delhi HC has said that Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh, Pawan Khera, Netta D'Souza along with others conspired to "launch a tirade of false scathing and belligerent personal attacks" on BJP leader Smriti Irani and her daughter, who are neither owners of the restaurant in Goa nor have they ever applied for the licence for food and beverages at the eatery, as alleged.

The high court said the statement made by three Congress leaders are in the nature of slander and seem to be bogus with malicious intent," to intentionally subject Irani to a "great public ridicule and "to injure the moral character and public image" of the BJP leader and her daughter.

The remarks were made by the high court while perusing the documents placed before it in a civil defamation suit filed by Irani, the Minister for Women and Child Development, against the three Congress leaders.

The high court's order, in which it had on July 29 issued summonses to three Congress leaders on the civil defamation suit, was uploaded on the court's website On Monday.

Court has also asked them to take down tweets and other social media posts on allegations levelled against the union minister and her daughter.

I have perused the various documents on record, particularly, the show cause notice dated July 21, 2022, issued by the Government of Goa, office of Commissioner of Excise, which has been addressed to one Anthony Dgama, and not to the plaintiff (Irani) or her family members.

Considering the documents on record it is clearly seen that there was no license which was ever issued in favour of the plaintiff or her daughter. The plaintiff or her daughter are not the owners of the restaurant. It has also been established by the plaintiff prima facie that the plaintiff or her daughter never applied for license.

"Neither the restaurant nor the land on which the restaurant exists is owned by the plaintiff or her daughter even the show cause notice issued by the Government of Goa is not in the name of the plaintiff or her daughter. All these facts have also been affirmed in the affidavit by the plaintiff, Justice Mini Pushkarna said in her 14-page order.

Irani has filed a defamation suit against the Congress leaders for allegedly making baseless and false accusations against her and her 18-year-old daughter.

The high court said since the plaintiff commands an esteemed position as a minister in the Government of India and considering the nature of her public office, there is immense public glare and scrutiny of any information about her in the public domain.

Defendant nos.1 to 3 (Congress leaders) have conspired with each other and other individuals and organisations to launch a tirade of false, scathing, and belligerent personal attacks on the plaintiff and her daughter with a common motive to malign, defame and injure the reputation, moral character and public image of the plaintiff and her daughter, it said.