New Delhi, Oct 8 (PTI) A Delhi court on Wednesday refused to allow Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's application seeking directions to restrain AAP leader Somnath Bharti from appearing for his wife in a defamation case.

Bharti's wife, Lipika Mitra, had filed a criminal complaint against Sitharaman accusing her of defamation.

Additional chief judicial magistrate Paras Dalal was hearing Sitharaman's plea seeking directions that Bharti withdraw his vakalatnama.

"This court finds no bar to spouse prosecuting for or defending his/ her spouse. There is no bar to even claim for maximum possible punishment or compensation, even when spouse is defending or prosecuting for his/ her spouse.

"In law, the husband and wife are two separate natural person and their pecuniary interests may b

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