Tender apology or face ₹10-crore defamation suit: Jojo to Sukhbir
BATHINDA : The political rivalry between Manpreet Singh Badal and Sukhbir Singh Badal, both cousins, spilled into the legal arena on Friday with Manpreet’s brother-in-law, Jaijeet Singh Johl, aka Jojo, issuing a legal notice to Sukhbir.
In the notice, also issued to Sukhbir’s wife, union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, who is also the Bathinda MP, and her brother Bikramjit Singh Majithia, Jojo has sought a public apology from the three for accusing him of extortion in the name of a ‘Jojo tax’.
At a press conference on Friday, Jaijeet said he had served the legal notice to all three and also to the channel, PTC News.
“I have given them a week’s time to apologise in public or give evidence for their accusations against me. If they fail to do so, they will face a defamation suit of ₹10 crore,” he added. Jaijeet added that the allegations, on for years now, were vicious, vile, and false with the only intention being to defame, humiliate, and harass him.
“These baseless insinuations have been widely reported in the media, tarnishing my reputation,” the legal notice adds.
He said the defamation suit would seek recovery of damages tentatively quantified at ₹10 crore.
“Further, Sukhbir and others shall also be liable to compensate me for losses, damages and litigation expenses that are separately and tentatively quantified at ₹5 crore,” he added at the press conference, with Congress’ Bathinda urban district president Mohan Lal Jhumba by his side.
HARSIMRAT, MAJITHIA ALSO ISSUED NOTICES ASKING THEM TO APOLOGISE WITHIN A WEEK FOR ACCUSING HIM OF EXTORTION