Assam: Court grants AAP leader Manish Sisodia to contest from Delhi in a defamation case filed by Himanta Biswa Sarma

In a major relief to the former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, the Kamrup CJM court has accepted the AAP leader's plea to contest the defamation case filed by Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma from Delhi itself.

The court in its order has now given relief to Manish Sisodia from appearing in front of the CJM court while the matter is being heard.

This comes after Manish Sisodia appealed to the court to grant him to contest the case from Delhi.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has filed a criminal defamation complaint against Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in connection with the latter's news conference on June 4.

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Sisodia blasted the BJP during the press conference, questioning why the party remained mute on the suspected PPE supply scandal involving the Assam CM's wife. Sisodia said that Sarma had granted a contract for personal protective equipment (PPE) kits to a business connected to his wife at above-market costs.

Sisodia faces up to two years in prison if the slander is found accurate, according to the defamation complaint filed at the CJM court in Kamrup rural district.

It is to be mentioned here that, Manish Sisodia was arrested by the CBI on February 26 arrested him in connection with alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22 following several rounds of questioning.

Further, on March 31, a trial court dismissed Mr Sisodia's bail application, saying he was "prima facie the architect" and played the "most important and vital role" in the criminal conspiracy relating to the alleged payment of advance kickbacks of Rs 90-100 crore meant for him and his colleagues in the Delhi government.