A Delhi court on Thursday summoned Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari and other BJP leaders in connection with a criminal defamation case filed by Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM), Vishal Pahuja issued summons to Tiwari, Vijender Gupta, Hans Raj Hans and Harish Khurana and told them to appear before it on Dec 18.

Sisodia alleged in the plea that the BJP leaders tried to malign his image by labelling him a corrupt person for the project of construction of the new classrooms in Delhi government schools.

BJP leaders had alleged corruption to the tune of Rs 2,000 crore in the construction of classrooms.

Sisodia had filed the case under section 200 of CrPC for commission of offences under Section 499 and 500 read with Sections 34 and 35 of the IPC for making false and defamatory statement in print, electronic and social media.

—India Legal Bureau