Sulakshana Sawant, the wife of Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, has filed a Rs 100 crore defamation suit against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sanjay Singh for allegedly naming her in a "Cash-for-Jobs Scam" in Goa during a press conference earlier this month.
Sulakshana Sawant filed the defamation suit in the Civil Judge Senior Division Court in Bicholim, Goa, against Sanjay Singh.
According to an official press note, the allegations claim that Sanjay Singh linked Sulakshana Sawant to a "Cash-for-Jobs Scam" in Goa, claiming she was involved in corrupt practices.
"These statements were broadcast live on multiple national and regional news channels and shared widely on social media platforms like YouTube, where they have garnered significant views," said the allegations.
The defamation suit asserts that these false accusations were made without any credible evidence, causing harm to Sulakshana Sawant's integrity and public image. The statements made by Singh, according to the lawsuit, were not only damaging but were also broadcasted and shared extensively, amplifying the false allegations.
"The defamation occurred during a press conference where Sanjay Singh made direct accusations against Sulakshana Sawant's integrity and her involvement in the scam, thereby damaging her reputation," said the press note.
As per an official press note, the legal action sought by Sulakshana Sawant includes seeking Rs 100 crores as damages for defamation, a permanent injunction against Sanjay Singh and his associates, restraining them from making or publishing defamatory statements, videos, or articles about her on any platform, including social media.
Sawant has also demanded a public apology from Singh, clarifying the falsehood of his statements and the defamatory video, article.
She has also sought an injunction to prevent further defamatory statements by Singh or his associates during the course of the suit.
Further, Sawant has requested the court to grant the costs of the suit and any other appropriate reliefs.
As per the press note, the baseless and defamatory statements made by Sanjay Singh are "....Over the past 10 years, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government has been involved in corruption and bribery under the guise of job creation. Even the wife of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has been named in the scandal, along with several of his ministers."
"This is not a small issue -- it is a massive job scam involving corruption and bribery in Goa, with direct involvement from the Chief Minister and his ministers. The names of the Chief Minister's wife and various brokers have been revealed."
"This job bribery scam became even more serious when the then-Governor, Satyapal Malik, publicly stated that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant's wife was involved in the job scam, accepting bribes for jobs, committing corruption, and demanding money."
"This clearly indicates that the Chief Minister of Goa and his entire family are involved in accepting bribes under the pretence of offering jobs."
Many aspirants had lodged complaints in Goa alleging they were forced to pay lakhs to some people who promised to facilitate jobs in the Goa government.
CM Pramod Sawant had said that the state police are conducting a transparent investigation into the alleged cash-for-jobs scam.
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