Mamata's nephew and Trinamool lawmaker Abhishek Banerjee sends legal notice to Amit Shah for 'defamatory' remarks

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's nephew Abhishek Banerjee on Monday sent a legal notice to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah for his alleged 'malicious and defamatory' statements at a Kolkata rally, asking him to 'express unconditional apology' within 72 hours. 

Shah, who addressed a rally in Kolkata on Saturday, had accused Banerjee of corruption. 

"The Centre has given Rs 3.59 lakh crores to the state but the amount did not reach the grassroots and ended up with bhatija (Abhishek Banerjee) and syndicates," Shah had said at the rally organised by the BJYM. 

After the rally, TMC spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien had said that the party would take legal steps if the BJP chief did not apologise within 24 hours.

"From another flop show in Bengal, Amit Shah has brought bogus corruption charges against Mamata Banerjee. If he does not apologise within 24 hours, we will take legal steps," O'Brien had said.

Acting on the warning, Abhishek Banerjee's lawyer sent a legal notice to Shah on Monday. Banerjee has denied the allegations levelled against him by Shah and has sought proof of his claim. 

"Let him (Shah) come and prove this defamatory baseless lies. So we have asked for his apology, failing which we will initiate the case," Abhishek' lawyer Sanjay Basu said. 

Reacting to the notice West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh said the party's lawyers will see to it but "Whatever Shah has said is true." 

"TMC is afraid that's why they have send this," Ghosh said. 

Shah at his rally in the city on Saturday had also criticised the ruling TMC for blacking out news channels which covered his programme.

"You can blackout channels, but our BJP workers will carry my message to every corner of the state," he said.

Refuting the charges, the TMC said in a statement, "The BJP has just concluded another flop show in Bangla. After the flop meeting, BJP is looking for excuses. They are saying their meeting was blacked-out. Blackouts and blackmailing are what BJP does. Do not insult the media. All showed. We challenge BJP. Either they prove it or resign".