New Delhi: The Delhi High Court said on Monday that neither Union Minister Smriti Irani, nor her daughter Zoish were the owners of a restaurant in Goa, ‘Silly Souls.’
The HC also noted that documents on record indicated that no license was ever issued in their favor.
The development after the Minister filed a civil defamation suit against several Congress leaders.
The high court said the statement made by three Congress leaders are in the nature of slander and bogus with malicious intent to intentionally subject Irani to a great public ridicule and to injure the moral character and public image of Smriti Irani and her daughter.
The high court’s order, which had summoned three Congress leaders in connection with the civil defamation claim, is uploaded on the court’s website on Monday.
The Court had last week directed the Congress leaders to delete the said allegations made by them during a press conference, from all social media platforms.
In the order released on Monday, the Court observed:
“I have perused the various documents on record, particularly, the show cause notice dated July 21, 2022, issued by the Government of Goa, office of Commissioner of Excise, which has been addressed to one Anthony Dgama, and not to the plaintiff (Irani) or her family members.”
“Considering the documents on record it is clearly seen that there was no license which was ever issued in favour of the plaintiff or her daughter. The plaintiff or her daughter are not the owners of the restaurant. It has also been established by the plaintiff prima facie that the plaintiff or her daughter never applied for license.”