Kolkata: BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari has been summoned by the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) of Alipore in connection with a defamation case filed by Amit Banerjee, father of Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.
On Friday, during the first hearing of the case, the magistrate issued a summon in the BJP leader's name for his appearance before the court on December 1. Amit filed the petition on Friday against Suvendu under Section 500 IPC (punishment for defamation) alleging that Adhikari is deliberately trying to malign him by stating false information. Amit reportedly alleged that on June 20 Adhikari, in front of several media persons, had stated that Amit has made assets worth Rs 1,000 crore. Protesting against the statement, Amit had reportedly sent a lawyer's notice to the BJP leader to seek an apology which Adhikari did not do. As Amit did not receive any correspondence from Adhikari, he filed a defamation case.
Amit claimed that he is a non-political person and Adhikari deliberately tried to malign him by making such a comment. On Friday, CJM, Alipore heard the matter and took cognizance of the petition. Later, the court directed the BJP leader to appear before the magistrate during the next hearing on December 1.