Tharoor gets bail in defamation case over scorpion remark on PM Modi

Shashi Tharoor. Pic/Twitter Shashi Tharoor

Congress leader and Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor was granted bail by a Delhi court in a defamation case filed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Rajeev Babbar over his "scorpion" remark against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal asked Tharoor to furnish a personal bond of Rs 20,000.

Thereafter, the court listed the matter for July 25 for the recording of evidence in the case. Tharoor has appeared before the court in pursuance of summons issued against him on April 27.

The court was hearing a criminal defamation complaint filed against Shashi Tharoor for his comment that Modi is "a scorpion seated on a Shivling" remark.

Babbar, a BJP leader filed a complaint alleging that Tharoor made the statement with mala fide intention, which not only denigrated the Hindu deity but was also defamatory.

Speaking at the Bangalore Literature Festival on October 28, 2018, Tharoor had said: "Modi is like a scorpion sitting on a Shivling. You cannot remove him with your hand and you cannot hit it with a 'chappal' (slipper) either."

Shashi Tharoor said, he felt like a batsman who has scored a century while his team has lost. Pic/PTI

In the recently concluded Lok Sabha Elections, Shashi Tharoor had a third straight win from Thiruvananthapuram, with 3,33,415 votes over his nearest rival of the BJP. He said he felt like a batsman who has scored a century while his team has lost.

"Since 1997, we never had such a good result in Kerala. We are winning 19 and we may as well, all 20 seats. The state has become an exemplar for what the politics of the Congress nationally could be. I just hope we will be able to build from the very disappointing result nationally because ours is the right message for future growth and prosperity in India," he said.

Top news stories of the day

• Mumbai doctor's suicide: Dr Payal Tadvi had no friends in her own department, say batchmates
• Gadchiroli blasts: Elderly parents worry about the future, as slain sons' wives get compensation
• Mulund society secretary booked for animal cruelty
• Mumbai: Esplanade Mansion's electricity meters removed ahead of its demolition
• Mumbai: BMC shuts two crucial foot overbridges at King's Circle
• 'Volunteers to comb forests for snares to prevent deaths of animals'
• Majeed Memon: Preserving Esplanade would mean protecting Kala Ghoda's history
• 8th Board Result 2019 RBSE: Rajasthan Results today at 4 PM, check at rajeduboard.rajasthan.gov.in
• SSC Result 2019: Maharashtra 10th Results to be out today at mahresult.nic.in

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get the latest updates