Delhi High Court on Wednesday quashed the summons issued against Union minister Smriti Irani in a defamation complaint filed against her by Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam.

The court, however, dismissed a similar plea by Nirupam seeking to set aside the summons issued against him in a cross-defamation complaint filed by Irani. The court said the case against Nirupam will continue.

The minister had filed a complaint against the Congress leader for allegedly using indecent language with reference to her during a TV debate in 2012. Nirupam filed a counter-complaint against Irani, saying she had made 'scurrilous, defamatory and derogatory comments' against him.

Justice R.K. Gauba passed two separate verdicts on the two leaders' plea.

In her plea, Irani had sought quashing of the summons issued to her by a trial court on June 6, 2014. She had also sought quashing of the complaint filed by Nirupam.

Nirupam had challenged a magisterial court's March 11, 2013 order summoning him in Irani's defamation complaint against him. He had also sought quashing of the January 1, 2013 complaint filed by Irani.