Zeenews Bureau
New Delhi: After making allegations of fraud against Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi, Janata Party chief Subramanian Swamy has now challenged Rahul to file a defamation suit against him.
Hours after Swamy made the allegations; Rahul’s office sent a letter to him threatening to pursue "all legal actions" against him. Swamy had targeted Rahul and Sonia Gandhi over acquisition of a company that published the now-defunct National Herald newspaper to which Congress gave a loan of over Rs 90 crore.
However, Swamy denied receiving any letter and seemed in mood to fight it out in the court. "Either Rahul Gandhi sends a letter to me or his lawyer. I will throw either of the papers in the dustbin without reading it. My advice to Rahul Gandhi is grow up, go to the court and file a defamation case. I will fight him there," Swamy said,” he was quoted as saying by a news channel.
"Our attention has been drawn to your purported press conference of the afternoon of November 1. The allegations made by you are utterly false, entirely baseless and defamatory," the letter said.
It said, "Your action of calling a press conference is a motivated attempt for reasons, which one can easily discern."
"We are committed to pursuing all legal actions against the scandalous abuse evident in your so-called press conference. Please be informed that we shall pursue the legal remedies open to us against the utterly motivated and irresponsible contents of your press conference.
"And that we shall pursue all proceedings that are available in law to ensure that an individual like you do not abuse the freedom to speak and write in utter violation of the equal important need in a civilised society to maintain the dignity of individuals and organizations and to abide by the law of the country," it said.
Earlier addressing a press conference here, Swami had said Sonia and Rahul had floated a Section 25 company called 'Young Indian' each with a share holding of 38 per cent, which acquired Associated Journals, founded by late Jawaharlal Nehru, that published the National Herald and Quami Awaz.
Swamy said Associated Journals obtained an unsecured loan of over Rs 90 crore from AICC which he claimed was illegal under Income Tax Act because a political party cannot give loans for commercial purposes.
With PTI inputs
First Published: Friday, November 02, 2012, 09:38