Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat files defamation complaint against Ashok Gehlot
New Delhi (PTI): Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Saturday filed a criminal complaint before a Delhi court accusing Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot of defaming him with remarks on the Sanjivani scam.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Harpreet Singh took cognisance of the matter and listed it for Monday to record the statement of witnesses in support of Shekhawat's complaint.
The complaint alleged that Gehlot defamed the BJP leader by alleging his role in the Sanjivani Credit Cooperative Society scam.
"There is irreparable damage caused to his (Shekhawat) reputation," the complaint claimed.
The complaint alleged that Gehlot has been making defamatory remarks, trying to tarnish Shekhawat's image and affect his political career.
Meanwhile, Gehlot said that Union Jalshakti Minister Shekhawat's move will bring the scam into national focus.
"I will welcome it (defamation case). This would expedite the case and help the victims who have lost money to the scam," the chief minister told reporters in Jaipur when asked about the defamation case against him in Delhi.
"This man (Shekhawat) should be ashamed of himself. Being a Union minister, he should have called the victims and helped them get justice," the Congress leader said.
Gehlot said the Rajasthan government is ready to cooperate in the investigation into the case. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah should take note of the scam.
The senior Congress leader added that his government has written to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to probe the matter but in vain.
He said the right to confiscate property is with the ED and the Special Operations Group of the state police cannot seize the property of the accused.
"If you (Shekhawat) are innocent then why don't you come forward to get the money of the poor back?" Chief Minister Gelhot's Officer on Special Duty Lokesh Sharma said.
In the Sanjivani Credit Cooperative Society, thousands of investors allegedly lost Rs 900 crore. Rajasthan Police's Special Operations Group (SOG) has been investigating the case since August 2019.
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HC verdict: No question of CM's resignation, says Deputy CM DK Shivakumar
Bengaluru(PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday said there is no question of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah resigning over the High Court dismissing his petition challenging Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot's approval for investigation against him in a site allotment case.
He alleged that there was a "big conspiracy" against the Chief Minister, as he asserted that the latter has done no wrong in the issue and will come out clean.
When questioned about BJP demanding CM's resignation over the High Court's order, Shivakumar said: "There is no question, the CM has not done anything wrong. He is not involved in any scam. It is a political conspiracy by the BJP against all opposition leaders in the country, this is what is going on."
Shivakumar, who is also the state Congress President, said he and his party stand in support of the Chief Minister, who is doing a good job for the party and the state.
He was reacting to High Court on Tuesday dismissing Siddaramaiah's petition challenging Governor's approval for investigation against him in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment case.
"(There is a) big conspiracy against our Chief Minister, like how the BJP had hatched a big conspiracy against me by filing a case and sending me to jail. Because of God's grace I came out. The case in which I went to jail was dismissed. Similarly they have hatched a conspiracy against the Chief Minister and his family," Shivakumar said.
Speaking to reporters as he emerged from an event, where he shared the stage with Siddaramaiah here, he said: "He (Siddaramaiah) will come out clean. Let any investigation be ordered or do anything. According to me, he has done no wrong...we are with the Chief Minister."
The BJP is unable to digest the (welfare) programmes given by Siddaramaiah to the state, Shivakumar said. "There is a big conspiracy."
Asked if the court's order is a setback to the Chief Minister and the government, he said, "I need to see the order...what setback? You are saying that the court has said an investigation has to happen, I need to see."
