Kanina SDM files defamation case against industries minister

Sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) of Kanina town of Mahendragarh district has filed a defamation case against industries and commerce minister Vipul Goel, for allegedly used objectionable remarks against him during a grievance redressal committee meeting on September 20.

SDM Sandeep Singh’s counsel Jasbir Singh Dhillon said the former has filed a case under Sections 500 (defamation) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace).

He said the SDM appeared before the court of chief judicial magistrate (CJM) Narnaul for the recording his statement and evidence. However, the SDM was not available for comments despite HT repeated phone calls.

As per the allegations made by the SDM, minister Goel made the objectionable comments against him on September 20, when he was chairing a meeting of the district grievance committee meeting in Narnaul.

“During the meeting, a case pertaining to the secretary, municipal committee, was taken up. But the secretary was not present, so the minister asked Mahendergarh DC Garmia Mittal about SDM Kanina Sandeep Kumar who was on leave from September 15 to September 20,” Dhillon said.

On hearing this, he said, the minister lost his temper. Then some BJP members of the grievance committee said the SDM is son of former education minister Bahadur Singh of Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) party.

“Minister Goel then allegedly said ‘Mantri ka beta hai to kya ghar baithe naukri kar raha hai. Kaam kya uska baap karega (If he is son of a minister, will he perform his duty from his home? Will his father do his work?” Dhillon said. He added that according to the SDM’s statement, he was out of town during those days due to the poor health condition of his father.