Khurshid likely to drag India Today to court

Law Minister mulling multiple defamation suits in India and abroad over allegations of financial bungling by an NGO run by his family

Multiple defamation  suits are being planned to be filed against India Today Group by Law Minister Salman Khurshid and his friends in the country and abroad over allegations of financial bungling by an NGO run by his family.

Close on the heels of a suit filed by Khurshid's wife Louise in the Delhi High Court on October 12, the Law Minister is planning to file a defamation  case against the media house in Bombay High Court in the next few days, sources said.

They, however, did not divulge the amount of damages to be sought in the civil defamation  lawsuit but it is speculated that the sum could be huge.

The media house could also be dragged to court in London by "some people who have been hurt" by the sting operation conducted on Aaj Tak and Headlines Today last week, the sources said while noting that the channel is seen there as well.

On October 12, Khurshid's wife Louise filed a defamation  suit in the Delhi High Court against the media group for airing a programme alleging financial irregularities in NGO Zakir Hussain Memorial Trust run by the couple.

Sources said that damages of Rs 100 crore has been claimed in the lawsuit filed by Louise against the TV Today group for broadcasting the "defamatory" programme on Headlines Today and Aaj Tak recently.

A sting operation by the television channel has alleged that irregularities were committed in the Trust during 2009-2010 in Uttar Pradesh in the funds earmarked for differently-abled people.

Khurshid, while rubbishing the charges against him, told reporters yesterday that besides the defamation  suit filed in the Delhi High Court, more cases are to follow.

"Some people associated with the Trust want a case to be filed in London courts as the channel is also shown there. I cannot stop them from doing so," he said.

Khurshid came out with certain papers and photographs yesterday in support of his claim that the charges were wrong.