“Floccinaucinihilipilification”: Delhi Court Throws Out Defamation Complaint Filed Against Nirmala Sitharaman

“Floccinaucinihilipilification”: Delhi Court Throws Out Defamation Complaint Filed Against Nirmala Sitharaman

New Delhi: A court in Delhi has dismissed a criminal defamation complaint filed by Lipika Mitra, wife of Aam Aadmi Party leader Somnath Bharti, against Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Paras Dalal of the Rouse Avenue Court said there was no ground to proceed with the case. “The complaint stands dismissed,” the court said.

The judge remarked that the case amounted to “floccinaucinihilipilification” – a term implying something “valueless or worthless”.

“From the entire material on record, this court is reminded of a rather unusual word… ‘floccinaucinihilipilification’, which implies something valueless or worthless. The present complaint is nothing but the word stated above,” the court said, adding that the matter had been unnecessarily prolonged.

The court further held that the essential ingredients of criminal defamation were not made out. “The press conference and averments made by the respondents is nothing more than political discourse amongst rival and competing parties,” it said.

What The Case Was About
Lipika Mitra had accused Sitharaman of making “defamatory, derogatory and libellous” remarks during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The allegations stemmed from statements made at a press conference, where Sitharaman allegedly referred to marital discord between Mitra and Bharti. The complaint claimed the remarks were made to politically damage Mr Bharti, who was contesting from the New Delhi constituency.

Mitra said that while she and her husband had faced marital issues in the past, the matter had been resolved in 2019 and they were living together.

She alleged that Sitharaman selectively referred to past disputes while withholding information about their reconciliation, with the intent of harming Mr Bharti’s electoral prospects.

The court had issued notice in the case in May 2025.

Bharti, who is also a lawyer, appeared on behalf of his wife, while Sitharaman was represented by advocate Zoheb Hossain.

Rejecting the complaint, the court concluded that the statements in question fell within the ambit of political commentary rather than criminal defamation.