38.6c New Delhi, India, Friday, October 31, 2025
Top Stories Supreme Court
Political NEWS Legislative Corner Celebstreet International Videos
Subscribe Contact Us
close
Judiciary

SC stays defamation proceedings against Shashi Tharoor for scorpion remark on PM Modi [Read Order]

By Jhanak Sharma      10 September, 2024 05:21 PM      0 Comments
SC stays defamation proceedings against Shashi Tharoor for scorpion remark on PM Modi

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered stay on the proceedings against Congress MP Shashi Tharoor in a defamation case initiated for his alleged 2018 statement comparing Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a scorpion sitting on 'Shivling'.

A bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and R Mahadevan issued notice to complainant BJP leader, Rajiv Babbar returnable within four weeks.

"The remark was a metaphor, which is good enough to substitute thousand words...If the metaphor is understood in the manner we understand it, we don't know why somebody has taken offence," the bench orally observed.

Tharoor was to appear before the trial court here on Tuesday, September 10 as per the Delhi High Court.

He got the relief as the apex court passed its order on his special leave petition.

The Delhi High Court had in its August 09, 2024 judgment rejected Tharoor's petition to dismiss the criminal defamation case.

Advocate Mahammed Ali Khan, appearing for Tharoor, submitted Tharoor has just repeated the remark already published in a magazine in 2012.

He also said the statement made by him would fall within exception clause 8 and 9 of Section 499 of IPC since the remark was made in good faith.

He also contended a member of the political party cannot be said to be an aggrieved person to file a defamation case.

The bench noted the "extraordinarily striking metaphor" made by the petitioner was perceived as defamatory and decided to examine Tharoor's petition.

The petitioner reiterated that his remarks made on October 28, 2018 was based on the statement made March 1, 2012 in a magazine and the complainant, though was aware of, did not do anything with regard to it.

The senior Congress leader had made the statement at the Bangalore Literature Festival, that "Mr Modi is a scorpion sitting on a Shivling."

The Delhi High Court rejected his plea for quashing the proceedings and has directed him to appear before the trial court on September 10.

"There are no justifiable reasons to dismiss the proceedings at this stage," the HC said.

Tharoor, on his part, contended that he was merely echoing a quote from Gordhan Zadaphia, which has been publicly available for several years.

He claimed the comments were not his own opinions but a repetition of an existing statement.
 

[Read Order]



Share this article:

About:

Jhanak is a lawyer by profession and legal journalist by passion. She graduated at the top of her cl...Read more

Follow:
FacebookTwitterLinkedinInstagram


Leave a feedback about this
Related Posts
View All

Another CBI Officer Investigating Rakesh Asthana Moves SC Against Transfer, Makes Startling Revelations Another CBI Officer Investigating Rakesh Asthana Moves SC Against Transfer, Makes Startling Revelations

After A.K. Bassi, another CBI officer who was investigating corruption allegations against Special Director Rakesh Asthana moved the Supreme Court.

Ayodhya verdict: SC rules in favour of Ram Lalla, Sunni Waqf Board gets alternate land Ayodhya verdict: SC rules in favour of Ram Lalla, Sunni Waqf Board gets alternate land

SC bench led by CJI Ranjan Gogoi has allotted the dispute site to Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas, while directing the government to allot an alternate 5 acre land within Ayodhya to Sunni Waqf Board to build a mosque.

Supreme Court: Money Spent On Judiciary Less Than 1% In All States Except Delhi Supreme Court: Money Spent On Judiciary Less Than 1% In All States Except Delhi

The court guided all states to document their response to the commission's report within four weeks. If any of the states fail to file a response, it will be presumed that they have no objections to the recommendations made by the commission, the court said.

Supreme Court Top Panel Names Chief Justices for Bombay, Orissa and Meghalaya High Courts Supreme Court Top Panel Names Chief Justices for Bombay, Orissa and Meghalaya High Courts

On April 18, 2020, the Supreme Court Collegium recommended new Chief Justices for three High Courts. Justice Dipankar Datta was proposed as Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, succeeding Justice B.P. Dharmadhikari. Justice Biswanath Somadder was nominated as Chief Justice of Meghalaya High Court, while Justice Mohammad Rafiq was recommended for transfer as Chief Justice of Orissa High Court.

TRENDING NEWS

sc-hints-at-pan-india-guidelines-on-timeline-to-frame-charges
Trending Judiciary
SC hints at pan-India guidelines on timeline to frame charges

SC mulls pan-India guidelines to curb delays in framing charges; notes cases where charges aren’t framed even after years despite BNSS mandate of 60 days.

30 October, 2025 12:22 PM
limitation-for-continuous-breach-runs-only-till-contract-expiry-kerala-hc-clarifies
Trending Judiciary
Limitation for Continuous Breach Runs Only Till Contract Expiry: Kerala High Court Clarifies [Read Judgment]

Kerala HC clarifies that for continuous breach of contract, limitation under Article 55 starts when breach ceases; once contract ends, breach cannot continue.

30 October, 2025 01:37 PM

TOP STORIES

sc-quashes-uapa-arrests-holds-remand-courts-explanation-cannot-replace-written-grounds-of-arrest
Trending Judiciary
SC Quashes UAPA Arrests, Holds Remand Court’s Explanation Cannot Replace Written Grounds Of Arrest [Read Order]

Supreme Court quashes UAPA arrests, ruling that remand court’s explanation cannot substitute the mandatory written grounds of arrest.

25 October, 2025 11:10 AM
ngt-orders-probe-into-illegal-tree-felling-in-delhis-civil-lines-directs-action-within-three-months
Trending Environment
NGT Orders Probe into Illegal Tree Felling in Delhi’s Civil Lines, Directs Action Within Three Months [Read Order]

NGT directs Tree Officer to probe illegal tree felling in Delhi’s Civil Lines and take action under the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994.

25 October, 2025 11:28 AM
gauhati-hc-quashes-fir-against-cnn-news18-anchor-akansha-swarup-over-kamakhya-temple-remarks
Trending CelebStreet
Gauhati HC Quashes FIR Against CNN-News18 Anchor Akansha Swarup Over Kamakhya Temple Remarks [Read Order]

Gauhati HC quashes FIR against CNN-News18 anchor Akansha Swarup, ruling her Kamakhya Temple remarks were careless but lacked malicious intent.

25 October, 2025 11:43 AM
delhi-hc-upholds-divorce-on-cruelty-grounds-denies-alimony-to-financially-independent-wife
Trending Judiciary
Delhi HC Upholds Divorce On Cruelty Grounds, Denies Alimony To Financially Independent Wife [Read Judgment]

Delhi HC upholds divorce on cruelty grounds, denies alimony to IRTS officer wife, ruling that alimony is for need-based justice, not enrichment.

25 October, 2025 12:10 PM

ADVERTISEMENT


Join Group

Signup for Our Newsletter

Get Exclusive access to members only content by email