HC refers Gautam Gambhir’s Punjab Kesari defamation suit to mediation

The Delhi High Court has referred to mediation the defamation suit filed by former cricketer and BJP MP Gautam Gambhir against Hindi daily newspaper Punjab Kesari and its reporters, LiveLaw reported.

Gambhir had moved the court to restrain the newspaper and its reporters from publishing any allegedly defamatory remark against him.

The East Delhi MP had last year filed a Rs 2 crore defamation suit and sought a public apology from the paper, its editor and reporters, over several news reports published in the Hindi daily. Gambhir alleged that the reports created a fake and defamatory public perception of his efforts as a parliamentarian and has demanded that all these items be retracted.

On Monday, Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma reportedly referred the case for mediation after Gambhir’s counsel Jai Anant Dehadrai submitted that the matter is likely to be amicably settled between the parties and be referred to mediation for recording the terms and conditions of the settlement.

“The counsel for the plaintiff submits that the matter is likely to be amicably settled and be referred to mediation for recording the terms and conditions of the settlement. The matter is referred to mediation,” the court said.

The matter was listed on Monday as a fresh application was filed on behalf of Gambhir seeking withdrawal of the suit on account of the amicable settlement.

The matter is now listed on February 29 for mediation and before court on March 12, according to LiveLaw.

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