Goa bar row: Irani, daughter not owners of restaurant, never applied for licence
Premium- Last week, the Delhi High Court issued summonses to three Congress leaders in the civil defamation suit
On allegations that Union Minister Smriti Irani's daughter runs illegal bar in Goa, the Delhi High Court on Monday said Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh, Pawan Khera, Netta D'Souza and other conspired to "launch a tirade of false scathing and belligerent personal attacks".
The high court said the statement made by three Congress leaders are in the “nature of slander and seem to be bogus with malicious intent," to intentionally subject Irani to a "great public ridicule" and "to injure the moral character and public image" of the BJP leader and her daughter. The comments were made by the high court while perusing the documents placed before it in a civil defamation suit filed by Irani against the Congress leaders.
Last week, the high court issued summonses to three Congress leaders on the civil defamation suit. The same was uploaded on court's website On Monday.
On 29 July, the Delhi High Court directed the three Congress leaders to delete their tweets regarding the same. The High Court warned that if the leaders failed to remove the tweets int he next 24 hours, Twitter would remove them.
“I have perused the various documents on record, particularly, the show cause notice dated July 21, 2022, issued by the Government of Goa, office of Commissioner of Excise, which has been addressed to one Anthony Dgama, and not to the plaintiff (Irani) or her family members.
“Considering the documents on record it is clearly seen that there was no license which was ever issued in favour of the plaintiff or her daughter. The plaintiff or her daughter are not the owners of the restaurant. It has also been established by the plaintiff prima facie that the plaintiff or her daughter never applied for license.
"Neither the restaurant nor the land on which the restaurant exists is owned by the plaintiff or her daughter even the show cause notice issued by the Government of Goa is not in the name of the plaintiff or her daughter. All these facts have also been affirmed in the affidavit by the plaintiff," Justice Mini Pushkarna said in her 14-page order.
Smriti Irani and her 18-year-old daughter Zoish Irani recently got tangled in controversies when a few Indian National Congress leaders pointed out Zoish has been running an illegal bar by the name Silly Souls in Goa. Following this, Irani has filed a defamation suit against the Congress leaders.
The high court said since the plaintiff commands an esteemed position as a minister in the Government of India and considering the nature of her public office, there is immense public glare and scrutiny of any information about her in the public domain.
“Defendant nos.1 to 3 (Congress leaders) have conspired with each other and other individuals and organisations to launch a tirade of false, scathing, and belligerent personal attacks on the plaintiff and her daughter with a common motive to malign, defame and injure the reputation, moral character and public image of the plaintiff and her daughter," it said.
The high court said it was of the considered view that the statements made by the Congress leaders are in the “nature of slander and seem to be bogus with malicious intent, only to garner the highest amount of viewership thereby intentionally subjecting the plaintiff to a great public ridicule".
It added that "Plaintiff (Irani) has made out a prima facie case and balance of convenience lies in favour of the plaintiff and against the defendants".
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