New Delhi: BJP president Amit Shah’s son Jay Shah on Monday formally filed a criminal defamation case in Gujarat against a news portal which had carried a report on his firms' business dealings.
Mr Shah would be represented in the case by additional solicitor general Tushar Mehta.
The defamation application sought “criminal action against the respondents for defaming and tarnishing the reputation of the complainant through an article, which is scandalous, frivolous, misleading, derogatory, libelous and consisting of several defamatory statements.”
Following the filing of the case, additional chief metropolitan magistrate S.K. Gadhvi ordered a court inquiry into the matter.
The case has been filed under IPC sections 500 (defamation), 109 (abetment), 39 (voluntarily cause grievous hurt) and 120 B (criminal conspiracy).
In Delhi, Union railway minister Piyush Goyal said ASG Mehta had decided to appear for Mr Shah after seeking law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad's permission.
A political storm erupted after the article titled ‘Golden touch of Jay Amit Shah’ was published.
The Congress party used the opportunity to hit back at the government and strategically addressed press conferences at most state capitals.
Senior leader Anand Sharma demanded that Mr Modi remove Mr Shah as BJP chief and demanded a probe by Supreme Court judges.
“He (Modi) speaks a lot, everyday and on each issue. He should break his silence on this issue and declare a Commission of Inquiry (to probe the charges against Jay) comprising two Supreme Court judges. There should be a neutral probe,” he said.
However, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said, “I haven’t read the newspapers so it is not proper to comment,” he said adding that he does “not understand the complexities of investment through companies.”
When questioned on the Congress attack, Mr Goyal said that the government was in the know of the entire episode as the ASG was given permission even before the story appeared.
“We believe that he (Jay) has been wronged and he must get justice. There is no harm if the best of lawyers appear for him. An ASG can appear in a matter between two private parties after taking permission," he said.
