Delhi court grants Bajrang Punia exemption from appearing personally for defamation case

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Wednesday granted wrestler Bajrang Punia exemption from personal appearance for the day in a criminal defamation complaint filed against him by wrestling coach Naresh Dahiya. Metropolitan Magistrate Yashdeep Chahal, who had summoned Punia before the court on Wednesday, granted him the relief after his lawyer sought exemption on medical ground, claiming the wrestler was unable to appear since he was suffering from fever. The court noted the submissions and adjourned the matter for 14 September. The judge also directed the complainant to supply copy of the complaint to Punia’s lawyer. The court had summoned the wrestler, holding it was of the prima facie view that all ingredients of defamation were made out against him. The complainant has claimed that Punia, along with other wrestlers/persons, made defamatory remarks against him at a press conference at Jantar Mantar on 10 May during a protest against alleged sexual harassment of some women wrestlers by the outgoing Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.