A special MP/MLA court in Jabalpur has ordered registration of a criminal defamation case against former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Madhya Pradesh BJP president VD Sharma and ex-minister Bhupendra Singh on a petition by Congress’ Rajya Sabha member Vivek Tankha.

In her order on Saturday, Judicial Magistrate First Class Vishveshwari Mishra, directed for the registration of a defamation suit after prima facie finding sufficient evidence for trial, petitioner’s counsel HS Chhabra told PTI.

Tankha had recorded his preliminary statement in connection with the defamation case on April 29 last year. The senior Supreme Court lawyer alleged that the BJP leaders tarnished his image by claiming incorrectly that he was involved in a Supreme Court case related to the Other Backward Class (OBC) quota in the panchayat elections in 2021.

The former MP advocate general claimed that neither he had filed any petition in the case nor he was part of any court proceedings.

He has also filed a civil defamation suit of Rs 10 crore against the three.

(With inputs from agencies)