In case of a defamation, both civil and criminal case can be filed.
In respect of one cause of action, one civil and one criminal case of defamation can be filed against the person concerned. If more such cases have been filed on the basis of a single cause of action, application may be filed for hearing them together.
However, if there are different causes of action (such as different defamatory statements issued at different times), then more number of such cases can be filed, i.e., one each for each cause of action.
For example, recently, as you might have seen in media, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has filed two defamation cases against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on the basis of two different causes of action, i.e., two different defamatory statements.
Dr. Ashok Dhamija is a New Delhi based Supreme Court Advocate and author of law books. Read more about him by clicking here. List of his Forum Replies. List of his other articles. List of his Quora Answers. List of his YouTube Videos.
.
