A court on Saturday (October 10, 2026) dismissed a criminal defamation plea filed by Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Parvesh Verma against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Saurabh Bhardwaj with regard to the latter’s remarks on social media in a sexual assault case involving a minor.
Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Neha Mittal of a Rouse Avenue court declined to take cognisance of the complaint, holding that the statements made by Mr. Bhardwaj were framed as questions and did not constitute defamation.
In his plea, Mr. Verma had accused the AAP leader of publishing allegedly false and malicious content on social media platforms, including X, Instagram, and Facebook. He claimed Mr. Bhardwaj had suggested that he (Mr. Verma) had used his political influence to benefit school officials connected with a case registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The allegations had harmed his personal reputation and his family’s reputation, Mr.
Verma said in his complaint.
