Delhi Court Issues Notice to FM Nirmala Sitharaman in Defamation Case Filed by AAP Leader's Wife

A Delhi court has issued a notice to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in response to a criminal defamation complaint filed by Lipika Mitra, wife of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Somnath Bharti. 

The complaint alleges that during a press conference on May 17, 2024, amid the Lok Sabha election campaign, Sitharaman made defamatory remarks about Mitra and Bharti, referencing past personal disputes to tarnish Bharti's reputation and electoral prospects. 

Mitra contends that these remarks caused mental anguish to their family and harmed Bharti's public standing.

A complaint has been filed under Sections 356(1) and 356(2) of the BNS, 2023. The court has directed Sitharaman to respond by June 12, 2025.