ASG Tushar Mehta to appear in defamation case filed by Amit Shah's son

Piyush Goyal insisted that the purpose of the story was to defame the BJP

Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta will represent Jay Amit Shah, son of BJP chief Amit Shah, in the criminal defamation case he has filed against news portal 'The Wire' over its story that claimed his company's turnover saw a huge rise after the BJP came to power at the Centre in 2014.

Union minister Piyush Goyal said Mehta had sought Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad's permission to appear for Jay and the approval was granted.

Goyal insisted that the purpose of the story was to defame the BJP and its government by making derogatory and defamatory imputations.

Asked about the Congress' attack on the BJP over the claim that the government was in the know of the entire episode as the ASG was given permission even before the story appeared, Goyal said they were aware of the matter as the news portal had sent Jay a questionnaire.

"We believe that he (Jay) has been wronged and he must get justice. There is no harm if the best of lawyers appear for him. An ASG can appear in a matter between two private parties after taking permission," he told reporters.

Jay Amit Shah today filed a criminal defamation case in a metropolitan court in Gujarat against seven people including the report's author, and the editor and owner of the news portal.