SC refuses petition for case transfer

New Delhi, Feb 11 (UNI) The Supreme Court today refused to entertain a petition filed by a journalist, seeking transfer of suit for damages for defamation by a Nagaland MP W Wangyuh Konyak, from Nagaland to Delhi.

A bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justices R V Raveendran and Lokeshwar Singh Panta dismissed the petition of Amit Lamba after hearing his counsel Prashant Bhushan, who contended that his client was not able to get any lawyer to defend him because of the influence of the plaintiff in the state.

The apex court had earlier transferred the criminal case from Nagaland to Delhi.

The apex court told the petitioner that in a civil case the petitioner need not be personally present in the court and he can defend himself through a counsel.

UNI AKS/SC RSA DB1233