Bhopal: Defamation suit by CM against Cong leader Ajay Singh

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The District and Sessions Court here has said that politicians do not enjoy special privilege to defame opponents and their family. The court made the remark while passing order in the defamation case filed by chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and his wife Sadhana Singh against former Leader of Opposition (LoP) and Congress leader Ajay Singh.

ìPoliticians have a right to criticise policy and conduct of their opponents but they do not enjoy any special privilege to defame their political opponents specially with regard to their family,î stated court while finding Ajay Singh guilty in the order issued on April 30. Ajay Singh has leveled serious allegations against CM and his wife in run-up to 2013 assembly elections.

Motive of accused (Ajay Singh) does not look to personally gain anything over the complainants (CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan and his wife Sadhna Singh) but to get political advantage over the complainant, court said.

The court finds it appropriate to punish accused (Ajay Singh) with imprisonment till rising of the court and fine of Rs 10,000 under Section 500 of IPC, order stated.

Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Vidhan Maheshwari, in his order, said, It is not disputed that at time when accused issued defamatory statements, he was Leader of Opposition and elections were to be held in near future.

The court further said, The accused though, as found, made defamatory statements, he did not repeat or stand by his statements.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan and his wife Sadhna Singh had filed defamation case against Ajay Singh after he levelled allegations against the CM and his wife in public meetings Sagar and Khargone. Singh addressed public meeting at Sagar on May 9, 2013, and at Khargone on June 4, 2013, in which he had said that Sadhana Singh possessed machine in which money earned through black marketing of gutka was counted.