A Delhi court has ordered AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj to remove defamatory videos targeting BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj. Swaraj welcomed the decision, accusing AAP of having an 'anti-woman face' and spreading misinformation about her.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Bansuri Swaraj lashed out at Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Saurabh Bhardwaj after a Delhi court directed the removal of allegedly defamatory videos targeting her and restrained further circulation of the content. Speaking to ANI following the court's order on Thursday, Swaraj alleged that the incident exposed what she termed the "anti-woman face" of the AAP and accused Bhardwaj of spreading misinformation.
"The anti-woman face of the Aam Aadmi Party has once again come to the fore... Saurabh Bhardwaj had released a video spreading lies about Raksha Khadse and me. For this, I had sent him a legal notice. After that, he held a press conference to promote and propagate that video. I welcome the court's decision," she said.
Details of the Disputed Video
The dispute arises from a video posted on April 19, 2026, in connection with a BJP protest march, which allegedly misrepresented Swaraj's conduct during her detention. According to the suit, the video falsely suggested that she staged the incident and wrongly identified Union Minister Raksha Khadse as a police officer, thereby creating a misleading narrative.
Swaraj argued that the video was deliberately edited with captions, overlays and commentary to ridicule her and damage her public image. The content was subsequently reshared by other defendants and amplified through a press conference, significantly expanding its reach on social media.
Court's Interim Order
The court found that Swaraj had made out a prima facie case and restrained the defendants, including the Aam Aadmi Party, from publishing, reposting or disseminating the impugned material on any platform.
Right to Reputation is Paramount
The court underscored that the right to reputation forms part of the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution and cannot be undermined by unrestrained speech. It observed that allowing the content to remain online would lead to serious and irreversible harm, and that monetary damages would not be an adequate remedy. The court also held that the balance of convenience lay in favour of granting interim protection.
The case comes amid escalating political tensions between the BJP and the AAP in April 2026, with Bansuri Swaraj and Saurabh Bharadwaj emerging as key opposing figures. (ANI)
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