Shivraj Singh Chouhan sends legal notice to Sonia Gandhi

Bhopal, Nov 18: Madhya Pradesh chief minister

and his wife Sadhna Singh on Sunday sent a 10-crore defamation notice to

president

for allegedly publishing 'defamatory articles' in newspapers and internet.

Reportedly, Sonia Gandhi's party had published articles accusing Chouhan and his spouse of possessing a currency counting machine at their house, purchase of dumpers and giving contracts to in-laws, among others.

The defamation notice asked Sonia to publish similar advertisement in the same publications failing which the couple threatened to file Rs 10-crore defamation suit, reported Times of India.

The false advertisement published in the media on November 13, caused an 'irreparable damage to reputation, trauma and agony' to the Chouhan and his wife, says the notice.

A notice has also been sent to Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee and its state president Kantilal Bhuria.

The defamatory advertisement was published by the MPCC.

The advertisement in newspapers across the state, placed by the state congress, showed silhouettes of a man and a woman. It's heading read: "Mukhiya ke munh par tala, lalchhi parivar ne Madhya Pradesh ko loot dala." (The chief has mouth shut while greedy family has looted Madhya Pradesh).

Though the ad didn't name the 'chief' or 'chief minister', BJP alleged that the silhouette looked like that of Chouhan.

The defamatory advertisement was published by the MPCC, says the declaration on its right hand corner at the bottom.

"The title of the Defamatory Publication is absolutely false, frivolous and baseless besides being defamatory. First of its kind in the country, it is under the tenure of Mr Chauhan as the chief minister of the State of Madhya Pradesh that the Madhya Pradesh Public Service Guarantee Act, 2010 has received a special award in the United Nations Public Service Award for the year 2012, for excellence in public service," said notice.

OneIndia News

(With agency inputs)