"Defamation Cases Won't Stop Us": Saurabh Bharadwaj Slams Manjinder Sirsa
AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj refuses to be deterred by defamation cases as he alleges Manjinder Sirsa's involvement in a massive rice scam.
The political battle in Delhi has intensified as AAP President Saurabh Bharadwaj doubled down on his allegations regarding a massive Saurabh Bharadwaj rice scam, asserting that legal threats and defamation suits will not prevent him from holding the BJP government accountable.
Allegations of a Massive Rice Heist
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Bharadwaj reignited the controversy by alleging that Delhi Minister Manjinder Sirsa was involved in the theft and illegal sale of 5 crore kg of heavily subsidised rice. This rice, which was specifically intended for the poor and daily wage labourers of Delhi, was allegedly diverted and sold to a private company, resulting in a significant loss to the public exchequer.
To back his claims, the AAP leader shared a letter addressed to the CBI Director dated September 24, 2026. Bharadwaj claimed to have provided "clinching documentary evidence" linking Minister Sirsa to the scam. According to the AAP leader, the Deputy Commissioner of Food and Civil Supplies (FCS), Arun Jha, mentioned Sirsa's name multiple times in a written response to the department.
Bharadwaj further pointed out a stark contrast in administrative action: while the officer, Arun Jha—who claimed to have worked under the directions of Manjinder Singh Sirsa—was immediately suspended, Minister Sirsa remains in office.
The Legal Clash: Defamation and Court Notices
The escalation comes immediately after the Rouse Avenue Court issued notices to Saurabh Bharadwaj and AAP MLAs Sanjeev Jha and Kapil Kumar. These notices were issued following a defamation complaint filed by Minister Manjinder Sirsa.
Sirsa has accused the AAP leaders of damaging his global reputation and that of his family. He alleges that during a press conference, the leaders levelled baseless accusations of "Gullak Chori" (donation box theft) and "Chawal Chori" (rice theft).
Court Proceedings and Next Steps
The Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) issued the notices to provide Bharadwaj, Jha, and Kumar an opportunity to file their responses at the pre-cognisance stage. The court's decision followed the recording of statements from Manjinder Sirsa and three witnesses: Gurdev Singh, Gurjeet Singh, and Abhisek Sharma. Advocate Yogender Handoo represented Sirsa during the proceedings.
The matter is now scheduled for a hearing on November 18.
"Frivolous" Legal Battles
Responding to the court notice, Saurabh Bharadwaj dismissed the defamation suit as "false and frivolous." He drew a parallel to a previous legal battle, claiming that after Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh failed in a similar defamation case against him, it was now Sirsa's turn to attempt the same tactic.
"These Defamation cases cannot deter us from seeking accountability of BJP Govt," Bharadwaj stated firmly.