Defamation case: HC lifts stay on arrest warrant against TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee

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TMC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee. File | Photo Credit: PTI

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has lifted the interim stay on an arrest warrant issued against Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee, nephew of former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, in a defamation case.

The decision is likely to increase legal troubles for the TMC general secretary, who is already facing an investigation by the Enforcement Directorate on corruption charges.

A single Bench of Justice Pramod Kumar Agarwal on Wednesday (June 17, 2026) dismissed Abhishek Banerjee's petition and lifted the stay, granted in November 2025, on the execution of the arrest warrant issued by a special Bhopal court.

Former Indore MLA Akash Vijayvargiya, son of senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and minister Kailash Vijayvargiya, filed the defamation case against Abhishek Banerjee in the MP-MLA court in Bhopal in 2021.

The defamation suit alleged that Abhishek Banerjee called Akash Vijayvargiya a "goon" while addressing a rally in Kolkata in November 2020.

The MP-MLA court had issued the arrest warrant against Abhishek Banerjee, following which he approached the HC.

In his petition before the HC, the TMC leader had argued that he is a Member of Parliament and is unlikely to abscond. Hearing the petition, a single bench stayed the execution of the arrest warrant on November 12 last year.

On Wednesday (June 17, 2026), no one appeared on behalf of the petitioner during the hearing.

Taking serious note of the absence, the Bench stated in its order that it appears the petitioner has lost interest in pursuing the plea.

Justice Agarwal lifted the stay on the arrest warrant, dismissed the petition, and directed that a copy of the order be sent to the Bhopal court.