Delhi HC Declines to quash Defamation Case Against Tharoor Over “Scorpion” Comment on PM Modi

The Delhi High Court on Thursday declined to quash the defamation case against Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, which stems from his controversial remark comparing Prime Minister Narendra Modi to “a scorpion sitting on a Shivling.” The remark was allegedly made during the Bangalore Literature Festival in 2018.

The bench, led by Justice Anoop Kumar Mendiratta, found “no grounds to quash the proceedings at this stage” and subsequently lifted the previous stay on the trial court proceedings. The parties involved have been instructed to appear before the trial court on September 10.

In 2020, the Delhi High Court issued a stay on the proceedings after Tharoor challenged a trial court order that had summoned him in connection with the defamation complaint filed by Delhi BJP leader Rajeev Babbar.

The case dates back to April 2019 when a trial court first summoned Tharoor following Babbar’s complaint, which was filed in 2018. Babbar claimed that Tharoor’s remarks at the Bangalore Literature Festival were defamatory towards BJP workers and supporters and hurt his religious sentiments. Tharoor was granted bail in June 2019.

The complaint was filed under Sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code, which pertain to defamation. Tharoor sought to have the complaint quashed, but with the High Court’s recent decision, the case will now proceed in the trial court.