PANAJI
The Civil Judge, Senior Division and JMFC, Bicholim, on Tuesday issued a summons notice to AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh in a Rs 100-crore defamation suit filed by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant's wife Sulakshana Sawant for allegedly defaming her by linking her in the jobs-for-cash scam.
The summons directs Singh to submit a written response and for settlement of issues, returnable on January 10, 2025 at 2:30 pm.
The defamation suit alleges that Singh, during a press conference in Delhi on December 4, accused her of involvement in the scam.
She has sought Rs100 crore in damages for defamation, an apology from Singh and also court directions restraining Singh and others from making further defamatory statements against her.
Sawant clarified that the defamatory remarks are false and unsubstantiated while reiterating directions for an apology from Singh to be prominently published in terms deemed appropriate by the court.
"Direct the Defendant (Singh) to publish an apology in terms to be stated by the Plaintiff (Sawant) or in such term as this Court deem fit in a prominent place clarifying that the said defamatory video/article and interview is false, and not based on facts and tender an unconditional apology to the Plaintiff," it stated.
The petition further seeks an interim injunction restraining Singh, his associates, representatives or agents from making public statements or social media posts maligning or defaming her until the case is disposed.
