If apologies, will reconsider filing defamation suit against Rahul: Chouhan

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday said that he would reconsider his decision of filing criminal defamation case against Rahul Gandhi, if the Congress president apologises for his Panama paper allegations on him and his family.

"If a junior leader made these allegations then it would be different, but the Congress president leveling such allegations is unfortunate. We will file a defamation case. We will reconsider if he apologises. One should not drop to such level," Chouhan said.

The Chief Minister was reacting to Gandhi scion's allegations at a public rally in Jabua on Monday that Chouhan's son was named in the Panama papers.

Launching an attack on Chouhan, the Congress chief had said, "Shivraj Singh's son has been named in the Panama papers. Even the country like Pakistan has punished its former prime minister Nawaz Sharif when he was named in the Panama papers. But here, no action has taken place as of now."

Later, Chouhan hit back at Gandhi and tweeted that he would file a criminal defamation suit against the Congress president for making "frivolous and mala fide statements".

Chouhan had tweeted that he would take legal action for maximum damages against Gandhi.

However, clarifying his earlier statement that Chouhan's son was named in Panama papers, Gandhi had said that though the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister was not involved in Panama but "has done scams like e-tendering and Vyapam".

"There is so much of corruption in the BJP that yesterday I got confused. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister hasn't done Panama but he has done scams like e-tendering and Vyapam," Gandhi had said.