Court summons Kirti Azad, Bedi in defamation complaint

A Delhi court has summoned as accused suspended BJP MP Kirti Azad, Bishan Singh Bedi and two others in a criminal defamation complaint filed by an under-19 cricketer's father for allegedly making false statements with "mala fide intention" regarding his son's selection in a team for the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Metropolitan Magistrate Harvinder Singh directed them to appear before the court on September 9.
Complainant's advocate Gajender Kumar said the court passed the order after noting that prima facie there was enough material to summon the four persons as accused in the case.
Complainant Tejbir Singh had earlier told the court that a media briefing was held by Azad, former cricketers Bedi and Surender Khanna and Sameer Bahadur, who is also associated with cricket, in which they had alleged that Rs 25 lakh was paid for the young cricketer's selection.

"The said allegation has brought disrepute to the name of Himmat Singh who is performing well and has made it into the playing squad on his own merit," the counsel had said.
He had said that whatever may be the motive of the accused in making the statement, whether due to politics or to highlight corruption in Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA), the young cricketer's name has been allegedly defamed.
"All accused have been a member of Cricket Improvement Committee at one point of time and in furtherance of the conspiracy and in connivance, have committed several offences besides offence of defamation as defined and made punishable under section 499 and 500 of IPC," the plea said.

"Such explicit false imputations and malafide statements have been made with specific intention to defame complainant and his son and with intent to lowering their reputation and esteem in the eyes of the public at large," it said.