Gauhati HC refuses to quash Himanta Biswa Sarma's defamation case filed against Manish Sisodia

Gauhati High Court on Monday refused to quash Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's defamation case filed against Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia.

Sisodia had moved the court after the Court of chief judicial magistrate (CJM), Kamrup asked the Aam Aadmi Party leader to appear before it on November 19.

“In light of the discussions above, the Court is of the considered opinion that the petitioner has not been able to make out any case for quashing of the proceedings of C.R. Case No. 81/2022 under sections 499/500 IPC, which is pending for disposal before the Court of the learned Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kamrup (M) at Guwahati. Thus, this petition fails and the same is dismissed,” Justice Kalyan Rai Surana stated.


The court said, “Before parting with the records it is clarified that the discussions and/or observations made in this order is made for deciding this criminal petition for quashing the complaint petition and therefore, none of the parties would be prejudiced during the trial of C.R. Case No. 81/2022 under Sections 499/500 IPC, which shall be decided on its own merit”.

In June, Delhi deputy chief minister had raised allegations against Assam CM regarding PPE kits after which Sarma had filed a criminal defamation case against Sisodia. Sisodia had alleged that a company linked to Sarma’s wife had manipulated the tender process of PPE kit during Covid-19.

Sarma's wife Rinki Bhuyan Sarma had also filed civil defamation against Sisodia of Rs 100 crore.