India, Nov. 11 -- The Supreme Court on Monday granted relief to Union minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan in a criminal defamation case filed by senior lawyer and former Congress member of Parliament Vivek K Tankha by allowing him to appear before the trial court through a lawyer after the court concerned in Madhya Pradesh's Jabaplur issued bailable warrants to secure his presence.

A bench headed by justice Hrishikesh Roy issued notice on Chauhan's petition and said, "In the meantime, subject to the petitioners' effective participation with counsel as may be needed, before the concerned court, they need not be subjected to bailable warrants."

In 2021, Tankha appeared for a petitioner who challenged the Madhya Pradesh government's decision fo...