A designated MP/MLA court in West Bengal issued summons to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday to appear either personally or through a lawyer before it on February 22 in connection with a defamation case lodged against him by Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee.
The order passed by a Special Court at Bidhan Nagar trying cases against MPs and MLAs asked Shah to appear before it on February 22 at 10 am.
“Whereas your attendance is necessary to answer to a charge of (Section) 500 of the Indian Penal Code. You are hereby required to appear in person/by pleader before the Special Judge (MP/MLA) court at Bidannagar on February 22 at 10 in the forenoon,” the Court ordered.
In a press note, Abhishek Banerjee's (who is the nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee) lawyer Sanjay Basu claimed that Shah had made certain defamatory statements against the TMC MP on August 11, 2018 at a rally of the BJP at Mayo Road in Kolkata. Hence, Banerjee filed the defamation complaint against Amit Shah.
The following statements (English translation) were specifically objected to by Banerjee:
“Narada, Sharda, Rose valley syndicate’s corruption. Nephew’s corruption. A series of corruption has been carried out by Mamataji.”
“Residents of villages in Bengal. Has the money reached your village? Please say loudly, Has the money reached your village? Where did it go? Modiji sent it. Where did Rs 3,95,000 crore go? This has been gifted to the nephew and the syndicate.”
"The allegations are patently untrue and are a ploy by the accused to tarnish and damage the reputation of the complainant," the complaint said.