An Uttar Pradesh court fixed January 11 as the next date of hearing in the case filed by shooter Vartika Singh against Union Minister Smriti Irani and two others for allegedly demanding money to make her a member of the Central Women’s Commission.
The MP-MLA court in Sultanpur was to decide if the case falls under its jurisdiction. Additional District Judge P. K. Jayant fixed January 11 as the next date for arguments over admission, Mr. Singh’s lawyer Rohit Tripathi said.
Speaking to reporters, Mr. Singh said: “I had filed a case of defamation against Union Minister Smriti Irani and her aides for maligning my image. I do not have any relationship with any political party.” Ms. Irani’s legal counsel had said last week that the case was based on “the most bizarre and mischievous set of falsehoods” and that “political patronage” is writ large on the matter.
Days after she was herself named in a police complaint, the shooter had alleged that people close to the Minister issued her a fake letter, appointing her as a member the Central women’s commission, a possible reference to the National Commission for Women.
Vartika Singh alleged that Vijay Gupta and Rajnish Singh, the two ‘aides’ of the Union Minister, initially demanded ₹1 crore from her and then brought the amount down to ₹25 lakh. She also alleged that one of the men talked to her in an obscene manner.
On November 23, however, Mr. Gupta had lodged a complaint against the shooter and another person at Musafirkhana police station in Amethi district, accusing them of levelling unfounded charges against him and trying to spoil his image, following which police had lodged an FIR against her.
Vartika Singh, however, claimed that the complaint was lodged after she threatened to expose “corruption”.