Binny's defamation plea: HC imposes Rs 50k fine on AAP, 4 MLAs

New Delhi, Apr 15: The Delhi High Court imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 each on Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and four of its MLAs, including Alka Lamba, for not filling written statements on a defamation plea against them by former member Vinod Kumar Binny.

Joint Registrar Neera Bharihoke slapped the fine on AAP, Lamba, Manoj Kumar, Raju Dhinghan and Bandana Kumari on Binny's civil defamation suit seeking damages against them for "maligning" his reputation by their "false defamatory remarks and illegal protests".

The Registrar in March had listed the matter for order, after completing pleading on issue as was directed by Justice Manmohan Singh.

The Registrar had also directed the accused to file their statements in support of the allegation levelled by Binny. However, the AAP party and its member failed to do so.

Binny, who fought 2015 assembly election on BJP ticket, has sought from AAP punitive damages of one rupee, to be deposited in a blind school, Rs 50 lakh from Lamba and Rs 50 lakh total from the other three party members.

In his plea filed through advocate Rahul Raj Malik, the BJP leader has also sought orders restraining the party and its members from "publishing, republishing, issuing statements in debates or any discussion or reporting or publicising in any other manner, matter of any kind directly or indirectly implicating or holding the plaintiff (Binny) guilty for remarks posted against the defendants (Lamba and others) by unknown or third persons."

"The reputation of the plaintiff has been severely destroyed by the defendants through the medium of national television channels, print media and also social media with the sole objective of furthering their political ambitions, settling personal scores by resorting to vendetta politics," the plea has alleged.

An FIR was recently lodged by Cyber Cell of Delhi Police against Binny and 37 others under section 66A (sending offensive messages through communication service) of IT Act and sections 354D (stalking) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of IPC, on Lamba's complaint.

According to the petition, Lamba had alleged in her complaint that Binny had falsely alleged on social media that she was running a sex racket at her house.

PTI