Hearing BJP MP Gautam Gambhir’s defamation suit against Punjab Kesari, the Delhi high court refused to grant any interim relief to the former cricketer on Wednesday and noted that “a public servant need not be so sensitive”, according to Live Law.

However, the court has issued summons to the paper, its editor, and three reporters while noting that certain news reports suggest a “wilful campaign” against the MP. It will hear the matter again in October.

The East Delhi MP has filed a Rs 2 crore defamation suit and sought a public apology from the paper, its editor and reporters, over several news reports published in the Hindi daily. Gambhir has alleged that the reports created a fake and defamatory public perception of his efforts as a parliamentarian and has demanded that all these items be retracted.

Filed through advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai, the case before the Delhi High Court pertains to several news items, including one headlined “Saansad Gautam Gambhir laapata, gali gali mein lage poster” and “Dilli ke laapata saansad Lucknow Super Giants ke liye bane Bhasmasur”, according to the news portal.

Published in November 2019, one of the news items reportedly part of Gambhir’s petition had mentioned the appearance of several posters in Delhi days after the BJP MP skipped an important meeting of a parliamentary committee on pollution. 

“Have you seen him? He was last spotted eating jalebis at the Indore cricket stadium. All of Delhi is looking for him,” the poster read.

Update at 3.27 pm, May 18: This report and its strap have been updated with additional details about the hearing.