DTC buses: Transport Minister sues BJP MLA for defamation over graft allegations

New Delhi: Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot on Thursday said that he had filed civil and criminal defamation cases against opposition BJP's MLA Vijender Gupta for accusing him of "corruption" in the recent procurement of 1,000 DTC buses. Gahlot has sought Rs 5 crore in damages and also sought action against the MLA under Sections 499 and 501 of the IPC.

Significantly, while the opposition BJP in Delhi had alleged the scam first, the Delhi government had taken cognizance and halted the process of procurement and the L-G formed a committee to probe the allegations.

Interestingly, this committee's report was sent back to the L-G's office, following which the AAP-led Delhi government claimed it was in their favour as it gave them a clean chit whereas the BJP claimed that the report allegedly incriminated the government and wrote to the L-G for a CBI probe.

Following this, the L-G forwarded the file to the Centre and the Home Ministry has now ordered a CBI preliminary enquiry in the matter.

However, Gahlot, in his defamation suits, has claimed that Gupta had made "scandalous allegations" against him in this particular matter — "intentionally defaming and tarnishing" the minister's reputation for what he called "malafide purposes and to gain political mileage through it".

Gahlot has further sought that all such defamatory content posted by Gupta on social media be removed and has approached the Delhi High Court, Twitter and Facebook for the same.

"Without verifying any fact Vijender Gupta intentionally and with malice called the Transport Minister "corrupt" and involved in "open loot"," the civil defamation suit stated.

Moreover, Gahlot's office said that when Gupta had raised this issue in a Starred question during the most recent Assembly session, the Transport Department had answered them in full disclosure and as per Gupta's satisfaction. Gahlot's suit said that Gupta indulged in posting "defamatory content" despite fully knowing and being aware of the facts.

Gahlot's suit also alleged that Gupta had posted these purportedly defamatory posts because he could not tolerate the AAP-led government's work for the public.

Moreover, in the suits, the Transport Minister defends the DTC bus procurement, saying that due process was followed and the tender was awarded only after careful consideration.

Gahlot's civil suit goes on to seek a Decree a Permanent Injunction, restraining Gupta from posting/tweeting/publishing any defamatory or scandalous or factually incorrect content on social and all other forms of media — further asking that the BJP MLA be stopped from giving interviews or writing articles against him on this issue.