Chouhan's son files defamation suit against Rahul Gandhi
Bhopal, Oct 30: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's son Kartikey filed a criminal defamation suit Tuesday against Rahul Gandhi in a local court, accusing the Congress president of intentionally making false allegations about his name being in the 'Panama Papers' of alleged tax evaders.
In the suit filed in the Special Court of Additional District Judge (ADJ) Suresh Singh through his lawyer Shirish Shrivastava, Kartikey Chouhan has alleged that Gandhi intentionally gave the statement to defame him.
The criminal defamation case was filed under sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Under these sections, a person guilty of criminal defamation can be sent to jail for two years.
The court has posted the matter for November 3 when Kartikey's statement will be recorded.
The Panama papers refer to 11.5 million leaked documents published by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists in 2016 with details of offshore entities set up by a Panama-based legal firm. The list included several Indian individuals and entities, many of whom are facing investigation.
Addressing a rally in Jhabua district of poll-bound Madhya Pradesh on Monday, Gandhi had alleged the name of the son of 'mamaji' had figured in the Panama Papers but no action was taken against him. Chief Minister Chouhan is often referred to as 'mamaji', though Gandhi did not specifically name him.
Hours after Gandhi's allegations, Kartikey Chouhan had rejected the allegations.
"Rahul Gandhi has made a false allegation of my involvement in Panama Papers. I am aggrieved as the image of mine and my family were damaged in a childish manner," he had said, while warning of "strict legal action" if the Congress leader did not apologise within 48 hours.
Kartikey's counsel said Gandhi's statement was intended to defame Chouhan and his family as the Congress has failed to make a dent in the popularity of the chief minister.
"Now they are levelling allegations against his family and children. It was a clear cut intention. It was a well-planned statement," Shrivastava said.
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India willing to cut 100% tariffs; trade deal with New Delhi soon: Trump
New York (PTI): India is willing to cut 100 per cent tariffs on American goods, US President Donald Trump claimed once again while saying that a trade deal between New Delhi and Washington is coming soon.
In an interview to Fox News, Trump, however, said that he is not in a "rush" for the proposed trade deal.
Against the backdrop of the US president's repeated claim of India offering to drop all tariffs on American goods, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said in New Delhi on Thursday that "any trade deal has to be mutually beneficial".
Trump again described India as "one of the highest tariff nations in the world."
"They make it almost impossible to do business. Do you know that they're willing to cut 100 per cent of their tariffs for the United States?" Trump said.
When asked if the deal with India is coming soon, Trump said, "that'll come soon. I'm in no rush. Look, everybody wants to make a deal with us."
Then he went on to add: "South Korea wants to make a deal but I'm not going to make deals with everybody. I'm just going to set the limit. I'll make another some deals. Because I can't, you can't meet with that many people. I've got 150 countries that want to make deals."
India and the US are holding talks to firm up a trade deal.
On Thursday, Jaishankar said trade talks have been going on between India and the US.
"These are complicated negotiations. Nothing is decided till everything is. Any trade deal has to be mutually beneficial; it has to work for both countries," he said.
"That would be our expectation from the trade deal."
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal is currently in Washington to assess the progress of negotiations for the proposed trade agreement.
He is expected to hold talks with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and US Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer.
To boost bilateral trade, India is seeking duty concessions for labour-intensive sectors like textiles, gems and jewellery, leather goods, garments, plastics, chemicals, shrimp, oil seeds, chemicals, grapes, and bananas in the proposed pact with America.
On the other hand, the US wants duty concessions in sectors like certain industrial goods, automobiles (electric vehicles in particular), wines, petrochemical products, dairy, agriculture items such as apples, and tree nuts.
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