CHENNAI, February 6 (Agencies): Rejecting charges of his involvement in the 2G spectrum allocation scam, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK chief M. Karunanidhi on Sunday issued a legal notice to Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy, demanding retraction of his ‘statement’ linking him to the scam within 24 hours. The DMK leader, in his notice to Mr. Swamy, dismissed the allegation as “motivated by your personal malice, political rivalry and clamour for cheap publicity.”
Karunanidhi’s notice issued through Counsel P. R. Raman comes a day after Mr. Swamy’s plea in a Delhi court for continuance of his private complaint in the case, seeking to claim that it covered a wider canvas of “involvement” of the DMK patriarch. The Janata Party leader had said he intends to file an application seeking to implead Mr. Karunanidhi in the case as there was sufficient evidence to that effect. “In newspaper reports dated February 6, 2011, you are believed to (have) made an open press statement that the so—called ‘2G spectrum’ case was much wider than what is being investigated by CBI and that you have personal knowledge that the alleged 2G scam also involves concerns of national security and involvement of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister,” the notice said.
The statement was made “recklessly” with the intention of causing “serious injury” to Karunanidhi’s image and reputation, the notice issued to Swamy’s Chennai residential and official address, which was released to the media, said. “Our client categorically states that he has no involvement whatsoever in the so—called 2G spectrum case and your attempt to involve his fair name is motivated. The statement constitutes a wilful and malicious defamation of his character,” it said. The notice asked Mr. Swamy to immediately issue a public retraction of the statement within 24 hours, failing which Karunanidhi would institute appropriate civil and/or criminal proceedings against him for defamation of character. It said Mr. Karunanidhi is “acknowledged to be an elder statesman in Indian politics,” besides being a 5—time Chief Minister.
Karunanidhi’s notice issued through Counsel P. R. Raman comes a day after Mr. Swamy’s plea in a Delhi court for continuance of his private complaint in the case, seeking to claim that it covered a wider canvas of “involvement” of the DMK patriarch. The Janata Party leader had said he intends to file an application seeking to implead Mr. Karunanidhi in the case as there was sufficient evidence to that effect. “In newspaper reports dated February 6, 2011, you are believed to (have) made an open press statement that the so—called ‘2G spectrum’ case was much wider than what is being investigated by CBI and that you have personal knowledge that the alleged 2G scam also involves concerns of national security and involvement of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister,” the notice said.
The statement was made “recklessly” with the intention of causing “serious injury” to Karunanidhi’s image and reputation, the notice issued to Swamy’s Chennai residential and official address, which was released to the media, said. “Our client categorically states that he has no involvement whatsoever in the so—called 2G spectrum case and your attempt to involve his fair name is motivated. The statement constitutes a wilful and malicious defamation of his character,” it said. The notice asked Mr. Swamy to immediately issue a public retraction of the statement within 24 hours, failing which Karunanidhi would institute appropriate civil and/or criminal proceedings against him for defamation of character. It said Mr. Karunanidhi is “acknowledged to be an elder statesman in Indian politics,” besides being a 5—time Chief Minister.
