MP HC dismisses Abhishek Banerjee’s plea, vacates stay on arrest warrant in defamation case

BHOPAL: The Madhya Pradesh High Court has dismissed a petition filed by Trinamool Congress (TMC) National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee and vacated the interim stay on an arrest warrant issued against him in a defamation case filed by BJP leader Akash Vijayvargiya.

The High Court noted that despite being given multiple opportunities, the arguments were not initiated by Abhishek Banerjee’s counsel. The court remarked that the petitioner did not seem interested in pursuing the matter further. Consequently, the court directed that a copy of this order be sent to the trial court immediately.

The stay on the execution of the arrest warrant, which was granted via an order dated November 12, 2025 (as per records), by the MP-MLA Court, has been terminated with immediate effect. The case dates back to November 2020, during a political rally in Kolkata, where Abhishek Banerjee allegedly referred to Akash Vijayvargiya, son of senior BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya, as a “goonda” (goon).

Aggrieved by the remark, Akash Vijayvargiya filed a defamation complaint in the Special MP-MLA Court in Bhopal. During the trial, the Bhopal court took a stern view of Abhishek Banerjee’s continuous absence from the hearings. Due to his repeated non-appearance, the MP-MLA Court had issued an arrest warrant against him.

The order passed by Justice Pramod Kumar Agrawal on June 17, 2026, noted, “No one appeared for the petitioner even in the passover round. No one has appeared on behalf of the petitioner in the first round also. It seems that petitioner has lost interest in prosecuting this petition. Accordingly, the present MCRC stands dismissed for want of prosecution.”

“This Court, by order dated 12.11.2025, has stayed the proceedings for execution of the arrest warrant issued in Case No.SC PPM/2/2024 by J.M.F.C. and Special Judge, MP/MLA, Bhopal,” the order added. (ANI)