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Synopsis

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday posted a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) plea seeking direction to the CBI to investigate and prosecute Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for making "false statements" against the Centre regarding loan waiver to several industrialists for hearing on August 7, 2023. 

During the hearing today, the counsel for the petitioner sought time to file additional documents.

A division bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad granted time to the petitioner to file certain documents in relation to his plea. Accordingly, the court posted the matter for further hearing on August 7.

The PIL filed by one Surjit Singh Yadav, a farmer and social worker stated that he came across news items in electronic and print media where news related to waiving of loan to the tune of Rs.11 Lakhs Crore had been broadcasted on NDTV in 2021.

“Similarly, News24 channel had published more than two years ago that loans of 50 loan defaulters have been waived off and that loan amount was to the tune of Rs.68,000 Crore which included the name of Mehul Choksi,” the plea stated.

Through the present plea, Yadav claimed that these news items were grossly misleading and were published by the media outlets to create confusion in the minds of the readers/viewers” so that the image of the Central Government could be downgraded in the eyes of the general public.  He further claimed that around five years ago on a TV Channel, a statement was made by Rahul Gandhi regarding waving off loans by the Central Government to the tune of Rs.8 Lakh Crore of 5 -10 Industrialists.

The plea stated that the publication of “misleading statements” made by Gandhi and Kejriwal is a “deliberate attempt” to create a “negative image” of the Centre which has resulted in creating a negative image of the nation itself.

“This may have negative repercussions for the nation like foreign investment getting affected, tourism getting hampered and promotion of anarchy in the nation”, it stated.

Yadav has sought directions to NDTV and News24 to remove “false and misleading statements”, made by Gandhi and Kejriwal from their platforms. Furthermore, he has sought directions to the CBI to register a complaint and investigate and prosecute Gandhi and Kejriwal for making “misleading and false statements” which were allegedly made with the intent to damage the image and credibility of the Republic of India.

Case Title: Surjit Singh Yadav v. UOI & Anr.