Three companies of the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group have decided to withdraw Rs 5,000-crore civil defamation suits filed against top Congress leaders and media organisations for statements on the controversial Rafale fighter jet deal.
In a letter to the politicians against whom the suit has been filed, the counsel for ADAG Rasesh Parikh states: "My clients are of the view the said defamatory statements were made for political purposes in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections that have concluded on May 19.... The matter in relation to which you have made the statements is pending before the Supreme Court. I convey our client's decision to withdraw the case against you pending before City Civil Court, Ahmedabad, on the next date of hearing."
Congress leaders Ashok Chavan, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Sanjay Nirupam, Oommen Chandy, Sunil Jakhar, Sandeep Singh Surjewala and Priyanka Chaturvedi, who has since left the party to join the Shiv Sena, are among those against whom the suit was filed.
The ADAG Group's Reliance Infrastructure Limited, Reliance Defence Limited, and Reliance Aerostructure Limited had filed the suits that will now be withdrawn.
Hriday Buch, counsel for Anugrah Narayan Singh, among the Congress leaders named in the suit, confirmed the development to DNA.
He said ADAG counsel had clarified that the defamation plaints would be withdrawn during the hearing of the case post-summer vacation.
Meanwhile, Shaktisinh Gohil, also among the politicos named by the group, said his lawyer, PS Champaneri, was intimated by the group's counsel that the suits would be withdrawn.
The Congress leaders had already filed applications before the Ahmedabad City Civil Court questioning its territorial jurisdiction to hear the defamation suits. The applications were to be heard in June.
The company's had also filed defamation suits against journalists and publications for conveying a negative image of the group.
Saving Breath
- Case to be withdrawn by ADAG’s Reliance Infra, Reliance Aerostructure, Rel Defence
- Cong leaders named in suit: Ashok Chavan, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Sanjay Nirupam, Oommen Chandy, Sunil Jakhar, Randeep Singh Surjewala, Priyanka Chaturvedi, etc
