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

Gambhir filed the suit to restrain the newspaper and its reporters from making any allegedly defamatory publication against him. Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma referred the case for mediation after Advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai, representing Gambhir, submitted that the matter is likely to be amicably settled between the parties. He proposed 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.

Today, the matter was listed as a fresh application was submitted on behalf of Gambhir, seeking withdrawal of the suit due to the amicable settlement.

The case is now scheduled for mediation on February 29 and for a court appearance on March 12.

In May last year, a coordinate bench declined to issue any interim injunction order in favor of Gambhir. However, the bench noted that several articles published against him suggested a "wilful campaign" orchestrated by Punjab Kesari to tarnish his reputation among his constituents, supporters, and the general public.

Summons were issued to Punjab Kesari, its editor-in-chief Aditya Chopra, and three reporters. However, the court did not grant any takedown orders or interim relief. Gambhir's suit demanded an unconditional written apology from the newspaper for publishing certain "malicious and false publications" against him.

Through Advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai, Gambhir's suit also sought damages of Rs. 2 crores from Punjab Kesari.

The defamation suit was filed by Gambhir over certain articles published by the newspaper since 2022. The news reports include “Sansad Gautam Gambhir Lapata Gali-Gali Me Lage Poster”, “Dilli ke lapata Sansad Lucknow Super Giants ke liye bane Bhasmasur” and “Ye Naye Mijaz ke Sansad hai Jara Faaslo se Mila Karo.”

Gambhir's case asserted that the newspaper and its reporters deliberately published false and defamatory articles with the intention of harming his reputation. The suit stated that despite sending a legal notice to the newspaper on November 23, 2022, requesting it to cease and desist from making any defamatory publications against Gambhir, no response has been received to date.