New Delhi: Three Congress leaders were ordered today to delete, within 24 hours, their tweets, videos and retweets accusing Union Minister Smriti Irani’s daughter of running an illegal bar in Goa. Jairam Ramesh, Pawan Khera and Netta D’souza were also ordered to appear in court on August 18 in a ₹ 2-crore defamation suit filed by Smriti Irani.

The High Court said if the Congress leaders failed to remove their tweets, Twitter would have to do so.

The judge said “grave injury had been caused to the reputation of the plaintiff” with the tweets. “I am of the prima facie view that slanderous allegations were made against the plaintiff without verifying actual facts,” said Justice Mini Pushkarna.

Jairam Ramesh confirmed the summons in a tweet. “The Delhi High Court has issued notice asking us to formally reply to the case filed by Smriti Irani. We look forward to presenting the facts before the court. We will challenge and disprove the spin being put out by Ms. Irani,” the Congress MP tweeted.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, in a swipe at the Congress, tweeted: “One must verify all the facts before leveling defamatory charges against persons holding high positions or any citizen.”

Smriti Irani had been targeted by the Congress with allegations that her 18-year-old daughter is running an “illegal bar” in Goa.

The Union Minister last week sent a legal notice to the three Congress leaders and their party. She sought a written unconditional apology and the withdrawal of allegations against her daughter immediately.