Telangana High Court takes up Asaduddin Owaisi’s revision petition

A civil defamatory suit was filed by Heera Gold managing director Nowhera Shaikh on September 29, 2017 seeking damages of Rs 100 crore from Owaisi alleging that the MP had passed several defamatory statements in a newspaper

Hyderabad: Justice Laksmi Narayana Alishetty of the Telangana High Court on Thursday took up the Civil Revision Petition filed by AIMIM president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi.

Owaisi had approached the court as the next date of hearing in defamation suit against him was on February 27. The petition was filed seeking to set aside the order passed by the Chief Judge of the City Civil Court on July 6, 2023 in a defamatory suit. It may be recalled that a civil defamatory suit was filed by Heera Gold managing director Nowhera Shaikh on September 29, 2017 seeking damages of Rs 100 crore from Owaisi alleging that the MP had passed several defamatory statements in a newspaper.

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The Counsel representing the petitioner submitted that the plaint filed does not reveal a proper cause of action. It is nowhere mentioned that the basis for defamation suit was a news article. He further contended that there are malafide intentions to file this plaint on such huge damages as the petitioner is a politician. A criminal petition is pending on the similar issue and when a final order is not yet passed, a damages suit cannot be filed, Asadudin’s counsel said relying on various judgments.

Due to paucity of time, the judge adjourned the case to Wednesday.