Manish Sisodia Summoned Over Assam Chief Minister’s Defamation Case

Manish Sisodia has also been sued by Himanta Biswa Sarma’s wife for Rs 100 crore.

Guwahati:

Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has been summoned before a Chief Judicial Magistrate’s court in Assam’s Kamrup district on Monday in connection with the defamation case filed against him by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Mr Sarma had filed the case in July after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader in a press conference alleged that the Assam government had given contracts to his wife’s firms and son’s business partner to supply Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits above market rates during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Earlier this month, Mr Sarma appeared before the Kamrup District and Sessions Judge Court in connection with the criminal defamation case filed against Mr Sisodia. Mr Sarma, as the complainant in the case, had appeared before the court for an initial deposition.

Responding to the allegations of irregularities in the supply of PPE kits, Mr Sarma had stated that the PPE kits were “gifted to the government” and his wife’s company “raised no bill” for it. His wife has separately sued Mr Sisodia for Rs 100 crore.

The summons for Mr Sisodia come as he battles allegations of irregularities in Delhi’s now-overturned liquor sales policy that have spawned a CBI investigation on the prodding of the capital’s Lt Governor VK Saxena, a representative of the BJP-led government at the centre.

The Aam Aadmi Party leader has denied any wrongdoing and said the investigation is politically motivated and aimed at hurting the party ahead of elections in Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state, and Himachal Pradesh.