KTR Sends Legal Notices To Bandi, Dharmapuri
Bandi Sanjay reacted to the news on social media
HYDERABAD: BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao on Saturday issued legal notices to Union minister of state Bandi Sanjay Kumar and BJP MP Arvind Dharmapuri, charging them with making statements that were baseless and defamatory against him and his family.
The BRS, in a news release, said that Rama Rao sought an explanation within five days from Sanjay and Arvind, failing which he said he will initiate civil and criminal proceedings against them as per law. Rama Rao sought an unconditional apology from the two BJP leaders for levelling “baseless allegations that were deliberately defamatory”.
Even as Sanjay is facing similar charges from a previous notice, he continued in the same vein at a press meet on January 23 accusing Rama Rao of using information from tapped phone conversations to earn crores of rupees, and that he also ensured tapping of phones of celebrities, the release said.
Meanwhile, Dharmapuri accused Rama Rao of consuming drugs, and for these reasons, Rama Rao had his lawyers serve the notices, the press release added.
Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar on Saturday launched a fierce counter-attack against BRS Working President K.T. Rama Rao (KTR), dismissing the legal notices sent to him as evidence of "fear" rather than innocence.
Responding to reports of defamation notices being issued over his allegations regarding the phone tapping scandal, Mr. Kumar took to X (formerly Twitter) to assert that he would not be intimidated by legal threats. referring to the BRS leader as "#TwitterTillu," he pointed out that KTR has yet to make a direct denial of the allegations.
"Not Once Have You Said 'We Did Not Tap Phones'" In his statement, the Union Minister highlighted what he called a conspicuous silence on the core issue. "Not once has #TwitterTillu clearly said 'We did not tap phones,'" Mr. Kumar remarked. He argued that sending legal notices would not "erase the truth" or cover up the "scar put on Telangana's dignity."
"I Have Faced Jail 9 Times" Dismissing the threat of legal action, Bandi Sanjay stated that he had already faced imprisonment nine times for his political activities and was prepared to do so again.
"You may have sent half a dozen legal notices. Do you think that scares me? I’ve faced jail 9 times. I am ready to go any number of times for my party, for my karyakartas, for my nation," he declared.
The Challenge The Union Minister challenged the former IT Minister to publicly swear his innocence regarding the surveillance allegations. "You couldn’t even stand up and swear that you are innocent," he said, reposting a video to reiterate his earlier claims.
He concluded by stating that legal notices would not restore "Telangana’s self-respect," implying that only a full admission of truth would suffice.