Vikas Sankrityayan, also known as Vikas Pandey and founder of the ‘I Support NaMo’ group, filed a 2018 defamation case against Dhruv Rathee over a video alleging BJP’s IT cell tried to bribe him. A Delhi court has issued a bailable warrant against Rathee after summons remained unserved.
A Delhi court has issued a bailable warrant against YouTuber Dhruv Rathee in a criminal defamation case filed in 2018 by Vikas Sankrityayan, also known as Vikas Pandey, over allegations made in a video uploaded by the YouTuber, Bar and Bench reported.
Sankrityayan is a social media user and activist known for managing the ‘I Support NaMo’ online group.
The case centres on a video in which Rathee allegedly claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) information technology cell had attempted to bribe Sankrityayan to malign him, according to a report by Bar and Bench.
The video, posted on Rathee’s social media handle in May 2018, was also shared by then Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. Sankrityayan subsequently initiated defamation proceedings against both Rathee and Kejriwal.
Why has the Delhi court issued a bailable warrant against Dhruv Rathee?
Judicial Magistrate Rahul Jain of the Saket court issued the warrant after being informed that an earlier court notice could not be served because Rathee’s residence was found locked, according to Bar and Bench.
The court had, on October 12, allowed an application seeking an early hearing and the issuance of dasti summons, which are delivered by hand. The complainant’s counsel, advocate Samaksh Sharma, argued that summons had remained unserved for years because Rathee primarily resides abroad, the report said.
However, the court was informed that Rathee was currently in India and staying at a residence in Gurugram, Haryana.
Taking note that Rathee had last been summoned in 2019, the magistrate had permitted Sankrityayan to accompany the process server to help ensure that the summons were delivered promptly.
After the court was informed that service had still not been completed, it issued a bailable warrant against Rathee and scheduled the next hearing for October 31, as per the report.
Who is Vikas Sankrityayan, alias Vikas Pandey?
Sankrityayan is known for his association with the ‘I Support NaMo’ social media group, which backs Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He is also active on social media under the handle @MODIfiedVikas.
According to his Facebook profile, he is a digital creator and writer from Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, who has written on issues including social media misuse and fake news.
His X bio describes him as a software architect associated with IBM India Software Labs, while also listing his involvement with online groups such as ‘I Support NaMo’ and ‘Hindu IT Cell’.
What has Vikas Pandey said about the Dhruv Rathee case?
In a Facebook post, Sankrityayan described himself as one of the early targets of Rathee’s videos, alleging that the YouTuber had made false claims about him.
“I was one of the first victims of fake news peddler Dhruv Rathee,” he wrote, claiming that Rathee had made three videos about him around eight years ago and that Kejriwal had shared one of them.
Sankrityayan also said that Kejriwal had since offered an apology, which he rejected, while alleging that Rathee had yet to appear before the court. He welcomed the latest development in the case, saying he believed the law was catching up.
About the Author
Bhanu Pratap
Bhanu Pratap is a journalist who reports and writes on foreign affairs, India’s foreign policy, geopolitics and strategic affairs. He closely follows diplomatic developments in New Delhi and has a keen interest in defence and national security.<br> <br> Bhanu also focuses on in-depth, interview-based reports and regularly speaking with experts and policymakers to bring perspectives and context to major developments around the world.<br> <br> He is also interested in stories with strong humanitarian angles.<br><br> One such report examined the cases of Indian nationals who were allegedly recruited and forced into Russia’s war against Ukraine. While reporting the story, Bhanu spoke to the families of those affected and documented their experiences. The report was later taken into account by the United Nations in its findings on human rights violations linked to the war in Ukraine.<br> <br> For Bhanu, the zeal to produce meaningful and impactful journalism remains at the heart of his work.<br> <br>He has previously worked with Firstpost, NDTV, Newslaundry and Republic.<br><br> Bhanu studied at the Delhi School of Journalism, University of Delhi. He initially chose science with plans to pursue engineering, influenced by conventional expectations, but fate had other plans and eventually led him to journalism.<br><br> Beyond the newsroom, Bhanu enjoys exploring culture and history and often spends his days off on heritage walks. He is also passionate about travelling, biking and listening to folk music.<br> <br>For tips, reviews and suggestions, you can reach him at bhanu.pratap@htdigital.in.