Congress leader DK Shivakumar files defamation suit against BJP MLA

BANGALORE: A court in Kanakapura has ordered summons to former Union Minister and BJP MLA (Vijayapura) Basanagouda Patil Yatnal in a defamation suit filed by senior Congress leader and former Minister DK Shivakumar. The case will come up for hearing on September 18.

The Congress leader has claimed damages of Rs. 204 crore. He has paid a court fee of Rs 1.04 crore to the court, his office said in a statement.

According to the statement, Yatnal had told the media that Shivakumar had been putting pressure on the BJP leaders to help him with the income tax and ED cases, and in return he will remain neutral and not come in the way of the BJP forming the government.


"It gives an impression that I am sacrificing the trust of people, leaders and voters for my personal and political gains. I have played a pivotal role in bringing Congress - JD(S) government to power. With these baseless statement I am branded as a person instrumental in destabilising and dethroning the coalition government. This has caused a major damage to my reputation, image and my loyalty towards the party," he said in his suit, according to the statement.

"It is a fact that during my stint as Water Resources minister I have undertaken several official visits to Delhi... My official visits with large public interest have been misinterpreted by Mr.Yatnal to put me in bad light in the eyes of leaders, public,voters and central leadership. This has caused mental agony and distressed me," he said.