Land scam: Activist threatens to sue CM for defaming him

PTI, Aug 3, 2024, 10:01 AM IST

Peeved at being called a blackmailer, activist T J Abraham on Friday warned Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah that he would initiate a criminal defamation case against the latter if he did not withdraw his statement and issue a public apology.

He said the chief minister had made an utterly false and frivolous allegation against him.

“You have followed up your statement before the media with a Tweet on ‘X’, in Kannada, calling me a blackmailer. I hereby call upon yourself to publicly withdraw your statement expressing your regret and issue a public apology, failing which I will be constrained to initiate proceedings for criminal defamation against you, in the Courts of Law,” Abraham said in a post on ‘X’.

The activist said, “I am pained, deeply hurt and defamed, with the utterly defamatory statement made against me today in front of the Media, in Mysuru, labeling me a ‘Blackmailer.’” He said several news channels broadcast the news where the CM called him a ‘blackmailer’.

“Your act of defaming me out of desperation, because I am perusing a case of Criminal Manipulations culminating in MUDA illegally allotting four alternative sites to your family, which is corrupt gains by corrupt means, for yourself and your family, enriching yourselves illegitimately and illegally to a tune of around Rs 55, 80, 00,700/-, at the cost of the State Exchequer (62 Crores according to your own admission), has negatively impacted my credible image in society at large,” Abraham said.

Based on a petition filed by Abraham, Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot issued a show cause notice on July 26 directing the chief minister to submit his reply to the allegations against him within seven days justifying why permission to prosecute him should not be granted.

The Karnataka government on Thursday “strongly advised” the governor to withdraw his show cause notice to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over the MUDA ‘scam’, and alleged that it was part of a concerted effort to destabilise the Congress government.

Earlier in the day, reacting to the notice, Siddaramaiah said on ‘X’, “T J Abraham’s history shows that he is a blackmailer and taking action on his complaint is illegal”.

“Abraham filed a complaint on July 26 at 11.30 and the Governor issued a show cause notice on the same day. All laws should be scrutinised while giving notice to the Chief Minister, who was elected with the support of 136 MLAs, on a single day,” Siddaramaiah said.

He alleged that the governor made a hasty decision without going through the complaint.

The activist earlier today lodged a complaint with the Chief Secretary in connection with the MUDA scam after the state Cabinet decided to recommend to the governor to withdraw his notice against the CM.