The Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate at Patiala High Court on Thursday, 9 May, granted bail to Congress leader Jairam Ramesh in the defamation suit filed by NSA Ajit Doval's son, Vivek Doval.
The bail was granted on a personal bond and surety of Rs 20,000 each, reported Bar and Bench.
On 25 April, Editor-in-Chief of The Caravan Paresh Nath and journalist Kaushal Shroff were granted bail in the criminal defamation case. The same day, the court had directed Ramesh to be present before it on 9 May.
The court had said, "Accused no 1 Jairam Ramesh has filed exemption application through his counsel Omar Hoda. Considering the grounds mentioned in the application, the same is allowed only for 25 April."
Granting bail to The Caravan editor-in-chief, and journalist, the court had said, "Since the offence of defamation under section 500 IPC is bailable in nature, both the accused are admitted on bail on furnishing personal bond and surety bond in the sum of Rs 20,000 each. Bail bonds furnished and accepted."
The court had earlier summoned Ramesh, Nath and Shroff as accused in the defamation plea noting that the allegations of the magazine are prima facie defamatory and referred to Vivek and therefore, he was an aggrieved person.
In his complaint, Vivek had said the magazine and Ramesh had attempted to “deliberately malign and defame” him to “settle scores with his father”.
The Caravan had alleged that Vivek Doval, "runs a hedge fund in the Cayman Islands" which is "an established tax haven".
Vivek, in his complaint, has also said that Ramesh had held a press conference on 17 January, reiterating the "baseless and unfounded facts" as narrated in the article.
According to the complaint filed by him, the contents of the article present "no illegality" on his part, but the entire narration has been presented in a manner, which suggests "wrongdoings" to readers.
(With inputs from Bar and Bench, PTI)
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