Will withdraw defamation suit against Uma if she apologises in

Image
Press Trust of India Bhopal
Last Updated : Sep 27 2014 | 5:20 PM IST
Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh today said that he was ready to withdraw the defamation case filed by him against former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Uma Bharti only if she apologises in court for "levelling false allegations" against him.
"If Bharti apologises to me in the court and admits that the allegations levelled (against me) by her were false, I will withdraw the defamation case against her," Digvijay told reporters after appearing in the court of the chief judicial magistrate (CJM) here in connection with the case.
The court adjourned the hearing till October 17.
Uma, in the run-up to 2003 Assembly elections, had accused Digvijay of being involved in a scam of Rs 15,000 crore during his 10-year-long tenure as chief minister in the state.
Uma succeeded Digvijay in 2003 who became chief minister for the first time in 1993.
On the proceedings in the court, Digvijay said that Uma's counsel cross-examined him, and other witnesses related to the case will record their statements soon.
When asked whether the court has suggested him to go for an out-of-court settlement, Digvijay said that he only wants Uma to apologise in the court.
"Leave alone Rs 15,000 crore, she (Uma) was not even able to prove a corruption of Rs 15 against me," he said.
Referring to the ongoing Special Task Force (STF) probe into the alleged Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board (MPPEB) scam and the status of his petition in the High Court demanding a CBI probe, Digvijay said that STF has been "selective" in arresting people.
"STF is taking action by watching faces of the people. It is not taking action against RSS and BJP leaders despite having proofs against them in the scam and arrested only those who have paid money to the middlemen.
"It (STF) has taken action even against those students who have just spoken to the middlemen and have not paid a single paisa to them. However, STF is not arresting those actually responsible for the scam," Digvijay alleged.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Sep 27 2014 | 5:20 PM IST

Next Story