Manish Tewari apologises to Nitin Gadkari, defamation case withdrawn

MUMBAI: Congress leader Manish Tewari has tendered an unconditional apology to Nitin Gadkari in connection with his charge against him in the Adarsh Housing scam following which BJP leader withdrew a defamation case against him.

"Tewari has tendered an apology after which Gadkari has now withdrawn the defamation case", Gadkari's lawyer Rameshwar Gite said today.

In a letter to Gadkari, Tewari has said, "I understand that that by such statements you have to suffer huge disrepute and have to face uncomfortable situation within the party and the society. Therefore by this communication I tender my unconditional apology for the allegations made against you" He also said that in future he will not put Gadkari in disrepute by making any comments with regards to the Adarsh Society.

Tewari also requested Gadkari to withdraw the case filed in the local magistrate's court.

Gadkari filed the case in December, 2010 when Tiwari, as Congress spokesperson, had accused him of holding a benami flat in the scam-tainted Adarsh Society here.

He had contended in the complaint that this was false and defamatory and Tewari be tried for criminal defamation under the Indian Penal Code.

The local court had last month taken cognizance of Gadkari's complaint and had issued process against Tewari.

In Delhi, the BJP also released Tewari's letter to Gadkari.