Defamation case against Zee Editor-in-Chief Sudhir Chaudhary by TMC MP Mahua Moitra

Mahua Moitra, Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP had filed a defamation case against the Zee News Editor-in-Chief Sudhir Chaudhary who alleged that Moitra’s speech in Parliament June 25 this year on the 'Seven Signs of Fascism', was plagiarized. According to Chaudhary, Moitra’s speech was copied from the work of Martin Longman and altered it to fit the Indian context.

Moitra shot to fame with her maiden speech in Parliament, citing that she attributed the speech from a poster at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum.

Metropolitan Magistrate Preeti Parewa today reserved the order on whether to summon Sudhir Chaudhary in the criminal defamation case. The order is likely to be pronounced on September 7.

Moitra deposed that Chaudhary’s allegations were intended to lower her credibility and damage her reputation. According to Moitra’s counsel Shadaan Farasat, the poster listed 14 early warning signs of fascism and Moitra took took 7 signs (of early fascism).

The Metropolitan Magistrate Court has reserved its order on whether to summon to Sudhir Chaudhary as an accused or not.

Meanwhile, Zee Media Corporation Ltd has also filed a criminal defamation case against Moitra for calling Zee News 'chor' (thief) and paid news.