Digvijay Singh summoned in defamation case filed by Nitin Gadkari

NEW DELHI: Finding "prima facie" evidence against senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh, a Delhi court today issued summons to him in a criminal defamation case lodged against him by BJP President Nitin Gadkari.

"In view of the testimony of all the three witnesses including the complainant (Gadkari) and other evidence produced on record as discussed herein above, the impugned statements of the accused apparently have the effect of harming the reputation of complainant and lowering the esteem of the complainant in the eyes of others.

"Prima facie, I am satisfied that there is sufficient material on record to proceed against the accused for the offence under section 499/500 IPC," Metropolitan Magistrate Sudesh Kumar said.

The court directed Singh to appear before it on December 21 to face trial for the offence punishable under section 499 (defamation) and 500 (punishment for defamation) of the IPC.

The order came on a defamation case filed by Gadkari against the Congress general secretary who had allegedly accused him of having business links with his party MP Ajay Sancheti.

It was also alleged in the complaint that Singh accused Gadkari of pocketing huge sum to the tune of Rs 490 crore in the coal block allocation to Sancheti.

Gadkari, in his statement recorded in the court, had denied having any business ties with Sancheti and had said Singh levelled "totally false and defamatory" allegations against him to "give the impression that I have been responsible for allocation of the coal mines" to Sancheti.

The BJP leader, in his petition filed through advocate Ajay Digpaul, had sought Singh's prosecution under sections 499 and 500 of the IPC.