38.6c New Delhi, India, Friday, August 08, 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

in-house-procedure-had-legal-sanctity-sc-dismisses-justice-varmas-plea-against-recommendation-for-removal
Trending Judiciary
'In-house procedure had legal sanctity,' SC dismisses Justice Varma's plea against recommendation for removal

SC upholds in-house probe into Justice Varma, dismisses his plea against removal; says process is legally valid and judge’s conduct lacked credibility.

07 August, 2025 12:05 PM
sole-testimony-of-victim-even-without-medical-evidence-sufficient-to-uphold-rape-conviction-sc
Trending Judiciary
Sole testimony of victim even without medical evidence sufficient to uphold rape conviction: SC [Read Judgment]

SC: Victim’s sole testimony, even without medical evidence, sufficient to uphold rape conviction if found credible and consistent.

07 August, 2025 03:11 PM

TOP STORIES

bengaluru-court-convicts-ex-mp-prajwal-revanna-in-rape-case
Trending Judiciary
Bengaluru court convicts ex MP Prajwal Revanna in rape case

Bengaluru court convicts ex-MP Prajwal Revanna in rape case linked to explicit videos; one of four sexual abuse cases filed against him.

04 August, 2025 11:07 AM
sc-sets-aside-order-declaring-man-as-juvenile-on-basis-of-school-certificate
Trending Judiciary
SC sets aside order declaring man as juvenile on basis of school certificate [Read Judgment]

SC: School certificate from private school not valid proof of age, sets aside order declaring murder accused as juvenile.

04 August, 2025 11:24 AM
hp-may-vanish-in-thin-air-god-forbid-sc-on-ecological-imbalance-in-himachal-pradesh
Trending Judiciary
‘HP may vanish in thin air, God forbid', SC on ecological imbalance in Himachal Pradesh [Read Order]

SC warns HP may vanish due to ecological imbalance; seeks state’s action plan amid rising disasters, deforestation, and climate change threats.

04 August, 2025 11:31 AM
sc-grants-4-weeks-time-to-centre-to-frame-guidelines
Trending Judiciary
SC grants 4 weeks time to Centre to frame guidelines to ensure pedestrians right to use footpath

SC gives Centre 4 weeks to frame guidelines ensuring pedestrians’ right to obstruction-free, accessible footpaths under Article 21.

04 August, 2025 11:41 AM

ADVERTISEMENT


Join Group

Signup for Our Newsletter

Get Exclusive access to members only content by email