Defamation case: Shimla CJM takes cognisance against Dhumals

The Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) of Shimla has taken cognisance against former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal and his sons Anurag Thakur and Arun Dhumal in a defamation case filed against them by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.
The court after going through preliminary evidence found that a prima facie case against Dhumal, Hamirpur MP Anurag and Arun of having committed the offence of defamation under section 499 and 500 of IPC is made out.
Ajay Kochhar and Satyen Vaidya, the counsel for the Chief Minister, said the court has fixed the next date of hearing on November 1, 2014.
Singh had filed a defamation case against Dhumals for having unleashed a malicious campaign against him and his family members through a section of media.

They have been raising insignificant personal issues relating to his income tax returns, loans, etc. In the media "with cheap political motive", the counsel said.
Singh alleged that the Dhumals had been levelling false and frivolous allegations of favouring a particular power project and deliberately suppressed relevant facts in their press conferences to suit their ulterior political motive.
They had been making selective, opportunistic disclosures and tried to mislead the people by twisting and concealing vital facts, Singh alleged.