The Bombay High Court on Friday issued a summons to BJP leader Kirit Somaiya, asking him to appear either in person or through lawyers on December 23 in a defamation suit filed against him by Maharashtra minister Anil Parab.

Parab filed the suit last month, alleging that Somaiya was making "malicious, malafide and defamatory" statements against him with regard to the construction of a resort at Dapoli.