The magistrate court directed Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik to appear before it by December 30. (File)
Observing that documents and video clips cited by the complainant prima facie showed that Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik had made defamatory statements, a Mumbai court issued another summons against him in a defamation case filed by former Mumbai BJP youth wing president Mohit Kamboj Bharatiya in connection with a cruise ship drugs case.
The magistrate court directed Mr Malik to appear before it by December 30.
The summons was issued on Monday after a second defamation complaint was filed by Mr Bharatiya but the detailed order was made available on Tuesday.
This is the second such complaint filed by Mr Bharatiya against Nawab Malik seeking action for offences under Indian Penal Code section 500 (punishment for defamation) before the court of the metropolitan magistrate in Sewree in south Mumbai.
Both the complaints pertain to multiple press conferences held by Mr Malik after drugs were allegedly seized by the NCB from a cruise ship in Mumbai in October. Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan is one of the accused who was arrested in the case. He was later released on bail on the orders of the Bombay HC.
Mr Bharatiya had alleged that Mr Malik defamed him and his family by making baseless allegations against them.
In his order, Metropolitan Magistrate PI Mokashi observed that the documents and video clips cited by Mr Bharatiya showed that Malik had made defamatory statements against him" so that it can be seen by the public at large." The magistrate further noted that it is prima-facie proved by the complainant that the words spoken by accused Nawab Malik were such that it has harmed the reputation of the complainant.
Mr Malik had last month appeared before the magistrate court in response to a summons issued to him in a criminal defamation complaint filed by Mr Bharatiya.
The court granted Malik bail on furnishing a surety and executing a bond.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)