The Hindu : Defamation suit against magazine

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jun 21, 2003

National

National

Defamation suit against magazine

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI June 20. The former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary, Ashok Jaitly, has filed a criminal defamation suit against the editors and publisher of India Today for publishing a report stating that he had been charged with embezzling Rs. 5 crores during the renovation of J and K House in the Capital.

The report, in the Signposts column of the June 23 issue alleged that Mr. Jaitly and four other unnamed persons had been charged with embezzlement by the State Vigilance Department.

In a statement to the media, Mr. Jaitly, said the report was ``completely false'' and ``extremely defamatory''.

Asked if he had sought an apology from the magazine prior to going to court, Mr. Jaitly said he had not done so because the report was ``categorical''. The charge, he said, was reported not as an allegation but as a fact.

The magazine denied any knowledge of the case. A representative of its legal cell said they had not received court summons or any other intimation.

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