Lucknow, Nov 7 (IANS): Uttar Pradesh Power Minister Srikant Sharma on Thursday sent a defamation notice to UP Congress chief Ajay Kumar Lallu for his statement on the EPF scam in the UP Power Corporation and has given him a week to apologise.

"The notice sent to Lallu is for his false and offensive statements made in public," he said.

The Minister said he had nothing to do with the money transferred to DHFL or Sunblink and he never met any officials of the company.

He said that not only in September or October, he has never gone for any foreign tour ever.

"The employees' provident fund (EPF) is managed by a trust in which I have no role to play. The decision to transfer the money to DHFL was not taken during my tenure, but by the previous government," he said.

Sharma said, "Congress president's behaviour was not only contrary to the dignity of someone who lives a public life but it was also defamatory for the person who performs his duties in a fair manner."

He said that if Lallu doesn't apologise then defamatory action will be taken against him under Section 499 and 500 of the IPC along with civil action in a civil court.

UP Congress chief Lallu had said that the power minister should tell the public what was the purpose of his official visit to Dubai in September-October 2017.