Snoopgate: Suspended IAS officer Pradeep Sharma files defamation suit against Madhu Kishwar

AHMEDABAD: Suspended IAS officer Pradeep Sharma has filed a criminal defamation case in a local court against editor and columnist Madhu Kishwar, alleging that she tried to tarnish his image in the snooping scandal.

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate HG Pandya is likely to hear the application on December 5 to decide if it comes under his jurisdiction, before admitting the matter.

The case is about Kishwar's comments on Twitter and television channels, which Sharma alleges were derogatory to him regarding the surveillance of a young woman allegedly ordered by Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's trusted aide Amit Shah.

Through his advocate Mukul Sinha, Sharma has issued a defamation notice to Kishwar and had asked her to reply within 48 hours. However, when she did not receive any reply, he approached the court here.

Two investigative news portals, Cobrapost.com and Gulail.com had claimed on November 15 that Amit Shah had ordered the illegal surveillance of a woman at the behest of one "Saheb".

They had released taped conversations between Shah and IPS officer G L Singhal to support their claim, but said that its authenticity could not be confirmed.

In her tweets on Twitter and during television debates, Kishwar had alleged that Sharma had harassed the woman, due to which her father had asked for protection from Modi.

"Allegations mede by you and published on your Twitter account amounts to the grossest defamation," the defamation suit read.

The defamation case seeks to start criminal proceedings against Madhu Kishwar.

Sharma, who was also allegedly snooped by the Gujarat police had said in a petition to the Supreme Court that the reason for his victimisation was his knowledge of "intimacy" shared by Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi with the young lady architect who worked in Bangalore, but originally hails from Bhuj in Gujarat.

The Gujarat government has appointed a two-member commission to inquire into the allegations of snooping. The government has asked the commission to submit its report in three months.