The Supreme Court dismisses plea against quashing of summons to Abhay Chautala in a defamation case filed by retired IPS officer Param Vir Rathee. The case dates back to 2008 when Rathee alleged that Chautala, the chief of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), made defamatory remarks against him that were later published in newspapers.
On Tuesday (September 16, 2025), a Bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and Satish Chandra Sharma said the Supreme Court would not interfere with the earlier decision of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The High Court had quashed the summoning order on December 19, 2023, after concluding that Rathee failed to prove Chautala made the alleged statements.
The High Court pointed out that Rathee’s complaint and testimony did not show any evidence of malice, prior ill-will, or intent to harm his reputation. It said the allegations lacked substance and that continuing the case would amount to misuse of the judicial process.
The legal battle began in 2010 when a Gurugram court summoned Chautala based on Rathee’s complaint. An additional district and sessions court upheld that order, but Chautala then approached the High Court. After reviewing the evidence, the High Court ruled that the case did not establish any clear intent to defame.
With the Supreme Court dismissing the plea against quashing of summons to Abhay Chautala, the matter has now reached its conclusion after more than fifteen years. The decision reinforces the principle that defamation cases must show clear intent and evidence of malice before they proceed further.
