Lawfare, Defamation – Journalists

Dhruv Rathee, the popular pro-AAP video blogger has been sued for defamation to the tune of Rs. 15 Lakhs by a software engineer and BJP volunteer Vikas Pandey. The case of defamation has been filed by Pandey owing to a three-part video series that Dhruv Rathee had released on his YouTube channel that alleged that Vikas Pandey was a member of the BJP IT Cell and had tried to bribe some Mahaveer Prasad (who claims is an ex BJP IT Cell member) with Rs 50 lakh to speak against him.

In a document released by Vikas Pandey, he has enumerated how Dhruv Rathee allegedly defamed Pandey by making tall and malicious allegations without providing any substantive proof. Vikas Pandey has also alleged that this video made by pro-AAP video blogger Dhruv Rathee was shared by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal that “led to a lynch mob against him and his family on social media”. Pandey says that he has initiated a civil defamation suit against Rathee and is in consultation with his family and might also initiate a criminal defamation suit against him in due course of time.