The Delhi High Court on Wednesday refused to pass an interim order “at this stage” on a plea by BJP MP Gautam Gambhir seeking directions to a media house to withdraw the alleged defamatory publications in which “false, libelous and slanderous” statements have been made against him. Justice Chandra Dhari Singh, however, said prima facie it was satisfied that the matter requires consideration and summons must be issued to defendants—a Hindi daily, its editor-in-chief and three reporters.

Cricketer-turned-politician Gambhir claimed in his suit the defendants were publishing “false and malicious” reports against him and sought the court’s direction to them to tender unconditional apology which shall be published in all newspapers brought out and circulated by the media house. “You are a public servant; you need not to be so sensitive. Any public person should be thick skinned,” he said, listing the matter for further hearing in October.