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MP/MLA court transfers Amit Shah defamation case to Metropolitan Magistrate Court

defamation laws

Tanvi Sinha

The MP/MLA court handling Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s defamation case against Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee transferred the said case to the Kolkata Metropolitan Magistrate Court.

The case was transferred due to jurisdiction issues, as Shah’s lawyers alleged that the address of the Home Minister mentioned in the texts was incorrect. 

The lawyer for Banerjee subsequently forwarded Shah’s Ahmedabad and Delhi residence addresses to the court when they had earlier provided the Bharatiya Janata Party’s office in Kolkata’s address.

As the submitted addresses were not under the jurisdiction of the MP/MLA Court., the Special Court Judge transferred the case to the Kolkata Metropolitan Magistrate Court.

The MP/MLA court, West Bengal had summoned the Union Home Minister on Friday in person or by representation on 22nd February. This was after he was charged with defamation under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code.

The issue dates back to 11th August 2018, in a BJP rally when the union minister allegedly passed defamatory remarks towards the Trinamool Congress MP.

Banerjee is also the nephew of Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister of West Bengal, and the founder and chairperson of the All India Trinamool Congress party.

Read more: Delhi HC issues notice to police for not allowing AAP MLAs to protest near Amit Shah’s residence