Amit Shah summoned by Kolkata court in criminal defamation case filed by Mamata Banerjee's nephew

KOLKATA: A metropolitan magistrate court in Kolkata summoned Bharatiya Janata Party chief Amit Shah on 28 September in connection with a criminal defamation case filed against him by Trinamool Congress.

TMC MP and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's nephew Abhishek Banerjee had filed a criminal defamation case against Shah alleging that the BJP president made slanderous statements against him at a public rally on August 11 in Kolkata. Abhishek appeared before the eighth bench of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Kolkata and filed a written submission claiming that Shah has made defamatory statements against him.

The eighth metropolitan magistrate then directed him to issue a notice to Shah. The court said the criminal defamation suit filed by Banerjee will be taken up for hearing on September 28.

On August 13, a legal notice was sent to Shah in which Abhishek had sought an apology from him for allegedly making defamatory statements against him. He had warned that if the BJP chief did not apologise, he will file a criminal defamation case against him.

Abhishek's lawyer Sanjay Basu had claimed the 'false statements' against his client had caused grave loss and prejudice to his client’s reputation. The notice to Shah said: "Since it is well known that my client is the nephew of Smt. Mamata Banerjee and is actively involved in politics, the contents of your speech left little to the imagination of my client’s well-wishers that you were referring to my client." 

Abhishek denied the allegations of his involvement in any purported diversion of public and/or government funds to the tune of Rs 3,59,000 crore or any other sum purportedly allotted from the Centre to the State of West Bengal. He also asked Shah to desist from making or circulating defamatory statements against him.