In a significant legal development, a Delhi court has rejected a plea by Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman seeking to prevent former Delhi Minister Somnath Bharti from representing his wife in a defamation case. The Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Paras Dalal, dismissed Sitharaman's application, which had requested that Bharti withdraw his vakalatnama (power of attorney) in the ongoing defamation proceedings.

The case centers around allegations of defamation, with Bharti's wife accused of making defamatory statements. Sitharaman's plea aimed to disqualify Bharti from appearing as her legal representative, citing potential conflicts of interest and the sensitive nature of the case. However, the court found no sufficient grounds to grant the request, allowing Bharti to continue his role as his wife's counsel.