BJP’s Amit Malviya refuses to soften stand against defamer, wants him to face trial
New Delhi, Feb 24 (IANS) BJP Information Technology Cell head Amit Malviya has refused to drop criminal proceedings against Hindu Samhati member Santanu Sinha who levelled ‘false and derogatory’ allegations against him last year, a lawyer said on Monday.
Sinha, a member of the right-wing organisation founded in 2008 by Tapan Ghosh after he left the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), had posted objectionable comments against Malviya on social media on June 7, 2024.
In an affidavit filed in the Delhi High Court, Sinha recently sought the quashing of the criminal case filed against him – a plea that has been opposed by the BJP leader.
Highlighting that he had tendered an unconditional apology and taken down the objectionable posts, Sinha claimed that there was no reason left to proceed against him.
On the other hand, Malviya’s lawyers want Sinha to stand trial despite tendering an unconditional apology and taking down the objectionable social media posts.
Arguing that merely deleting a post after making unsubstantiated and defamatory claims is not a sufficient remedy, the BJP leader has insisted that the trial against Sinha must proceed.
Soon after Sinha had posted the objectionable comments, Malviya had asked him to apologise and remove the objectionable posts.
“I, the undersigned, call upon you to issue a public apology and take down/remove your defamatory statement(s) given against my client across all public platforms within three (3) days of receipt of this legal notice, failing which my client will be constrained to take appropriate legal action against you Including prosecuting you for civil and criminal defamation at your risk and cost. Further, I call upon you to pay a sum of INR 10 crore as civil damages for the mental harassment, agony and loss of reputation caused to my client that has been caused to my client via your Facebook post dated June 7, 2024,” said a legal notice issued by the Malviya, BJP’s Bengal unit co-incharge.
Sinha, related to BJP leader Rahul Sinha, has alleged in his now-deleted post that Malviya had indulged in nefarious activities, including exploitation of women.
West Bengal-based Hindu Samhati is an organisation which aims to propagate Hindutva among Bengalis. The organisation is known to support the BJP and wants to run an anti-love jihad campaign in the Trinamool Congress-ruled state.
–IANS
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