Today,in the matter of Swati Chaturvedi v State and Anr, the Delhi High Court stayed trial court proceedings in a case filed by Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga against Journalist Swati Chaturvedi till July 17. BJP leader Tajinder Pal filed a defamation case against Swati Chaturvedi.

The Bench of Justice Rajnish Bhatnagar issued a plea notice to stay the proceedings on a plea by Chaturvedi challenging the summons issued by a magistrate in the defamation case.

The case was filed when the accused posted tweet in 2017 in relation to his appointment as spokesperson of the political party.

In her tweet, the Journalist wrote -

"Now the man who beat up @pbhushan1 was arrested in a sexual harassment case speaks for @BJP4India. Good job.”

Following the tweet, BJP leader Tajinder Pal Bagga filed a defamation case against Chaturvedi.

Earlier in 2018, In an order passed the magistrate court ordered Chaturvedi to appear before the court, 

Chaturvedi challenged the order, however, the same was dismissed in December 2022.

In his order, Judge Sudhir Kumar Sirohi said that Chaturvedi's tweet about alleged sexual harassment “lowered the image of the public figure, that too when he was representing a national party”.

Advocate Adit Pujari appearing for Chaturvedi submitted that no second witness was examined before the trial court as per explanation 2 of section 499 of IPC who can say that Bagga’s image has been lowered because of the tweet.

Hearing the parties, the court ordered:“Issue notice. Response be filed within two weeks. Rejoineder if any be filed within two weeks. Till such date, the trial court proceedings are stayed. List on July 17.”