Doval defamation case: Caravan editor-in-chief Paresh Nath, journalist Kunal Shroff granted bail

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal granted bail to The Caravan Editor-in-Chief Paresh Nath and journalist Kaushal Shroff in the criminal defamation case filed by Vivek Doval, Bar & Bench reported. The bail was granted on a personal bond of ₹20,000 with a surety of ₹1 lakh.

The defamation suit was filed after The Caravan published an article titled The D Companies on January 16 stating that National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval’s sons ran a web of companies, including a Cayman Islands hedge fund, even as the NSA has demanded a crackdown on tax havens. Vivek Doval’s counsel has claimed that the article “was published without any due diligence”. They also said that Congress leader Jairam Ramesh had cited the article and made defamatory allegations against Vivek Doval at a press conference.

The Delhi court today asked the duo from The Caravan, as well as Jairam Ramesh, to appear before it on May 9 which is when the case will be heard next. Jairam Ramesh was granted exemption from appearing before the court on Thursday owing to “personal difficulty”. Thus, his bail plea will be heard on the day he appears before the court.

The three were summoned by Vishal on March 2 after the case was taken cognisance of on January 22. It was concluded that the allegations made by them against the Dovals were in fact prima facie defamatory.