A Rs 100-crore defamation suit was filed against Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Tuesday, weeks after CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said he would like the AAP leader for accusing the Assam government of awarding contracts to his wife’s firms. Will file a civil defamation case against him. and son’s business partner for supplying PPE kits above market rates during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
The case was filed in the Guwahati Civil Court on behalf of Himanta Sarma’s wife Rinki Bhuyan Sarma.
Advocate Padmadha Nayak, appearing for CM’s wife, said, “As you know that on June 4, AAP leader and Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia called a press conference in Delhi and made some remarks against my client, alleging that That they got the government. Contract for supply of PPE kits to National Health Mission in March 2020. This is completely false and defamatory statement.
The advocate submitted that Rinki Sarma never supplied any PPE kits to NHM as a business transaction and, in fact, donated 1,485 such kits under Corporate Social Responsibility.
“We have filed a civil defamation case against Manish Sisodia in Guwahati and we are expecting that the matter will be listed tomorrow. We have claimed a loss of Rs 100 crore,” Nayak said.
A war of words broke out between Sisodia and the Assam Chief Minister after the AAP leader leveled the allegations. Himanta Sarma made a scathing rebuttal and asked him to “stop preaching”, threatening to file a defamation suit against Sisodia.
Sisodia had alleged that the Assam CM “took advantage” of the Covid-19 pandemic. He claimed that while the Assam government procured PPE kits from other companies for Rs 600, the CM ordered immediate supplies to the firms of his wife and son’s business partners for Rs 990 per piece.
He attached an order dated March 18, 2020 for supply of 5,000 kits at the rate of Rs 990 from NHM to JCB Industries, belonging to CM’s wife, to support his claims.
Sisodia further said that the company also did not deal in medical equipment. Sisodia said, “While the contract awarded to the firm of Sarma’s wife was canceled as the company could not supply the PPE kits, another supply order to the firm belonging to the business partners of his son at the rate of Rs 1,680 per kit was given from.” Quoting a media report.
Chief Minister’s Rebuttal
The CM hit out at Sisodia and said that the state did not have enough PPE kits in 2020, when the pandemic was spreading across the country.
In a series of tweets, he wrote, “My wife mustered up the courage to come forward and donate around 1,500 of them to the government for free, saving lives. He didn’t take a single penny.”
The Chief Minister also attached a letter of appreciation from the then NHM Director Dr Lakshmanan for providing PPE kits as CSR by JCB Industries.
“Stop preaching. I will see you in Guwahati as you (Sisodia) will face criminal defamation.
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