Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (HB)
Udupi, Mar 22: Udupi MLA and district in-charge minister Pramod Madhwaraj has said that he will file a defamation case against social activist T J Abraham for alleging that he had defrauded a bank to the tune of Rs 193 crore, in case the activist did not tender a public apology.
Speaking to reporters here on Thursday March 22, Madhwaraj said, "I plan to file defamation case against T J Abraham claiming Rs 10 crore in damages, through my lawyer Shantaram Shetty. A notice has already been sent to him and he has three days to reply.
"False allegations were levelled against me with an intention to slander my name and image. It may have been the handiwork of a former MLA and an former Independent MLA who was earlier in Congress and is now in BJP," he said, without taking any names.
He also demanded an unconditional public apology from Abraham by calling a press meet as well as in writing.
Madhwaraj also released a copy of the notice issued to Abraham, in which it is stated that the allegations were false, baseless, and reckless, "that too when Karnataka is on the verge of an ensuing general elcction, leads to lot of suspicion that you have made such reckless allegations, deliberately and intentionally with an ulterior motive... as well as for cheap publicity."
The notice also states that due to the allegations, scandalous rumours are going around in social media which have damaged the reputation of the minister.
Pramod further states that he took loan from the bank in compliance with rules and regulations of the bank, and said he does not owe Rs 193 crore to the bank as alleged. The bank has not even issued a notice to him for any outstanding loan.
On queries from reporters about chief minister Siddaramaiah’s reported statement ‘people are harassing Pramod Madhwaraj’, he said, “I do not know what Siddaramaiah meant. What he probably meant was that some one is trying to pressurise me. He has better information than me which includes information from intelligence department. I never said that I am being harassment by anyone.
“As I am the best minister in the state, there must be a demand for me in other parties. I am not going to bow down to others due to pressure. I am a very self-esteemed person. No pressure from my own party. Moreover, I have already paid Rs 1 lac for candidate application,” he said.
Meanwhile, social activist T J Abraham responding to minister Madhwaraj’s statement said that he would visit Udupi on March 24 to publicly clarify certain doubts and accept certain challenges, that have been thrown at him, regarding his complaint.