On Saturday, March 4, Union Jal Shakti Minister and senior Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) leader Gajendra Singh Shekhawat moved to Rouse Avenue Court to file a defamation suit against Rajasthan CM and Congress leader Ashok Gehlot.
According to the Shekhawat, the Rajasthan chief minister levelled false accusations against him over the alleged complicity in the Sanjivani Credit Cooperative Society scam.
Shekhawat has urged that Gehlot be charged with criminal defamation in accordance with IPC provisions. The Union minister has also asked for appropriate monetary compensation for the harm caused to his reputation.
In his criminal defamation complaint submitted before the Rouse Avenue Court in New Delhi, Shekhawat claimed that “their reputation has suffered irreparable damage.”
During a media interaction, Shekhawat said CM Gehlot has been defaming him for the last three years and is deliberately attempting to affect his political career by maligning his image.
“CM Ashok Gehlot has been making defamatory remarks, trying to tarnish my image and affect my political career. For the last three years, he has been in defaming me in media, Rajya Sabha & even in public rallies,” Shekhawat said.
“The CM has accused me, he is not worried about the transactions & investments of the credit cooperative society. Even after repeated FIRs, he did not stop. I have filed a defamation suit against the CM,” Shekhawat added.
The CM has accused me, he is not worried about the transactions & investments of the credit cooperative society. Even after repeated FIRs, he didn’t stop. I have filed a defamation suit against the CM: Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat pic.twitter.com/bPlLxpTRE3
— ANI (@ANI) March 4, 2023
Shekhawat claimed that for over three years, CM Gehlot has defamed him by linking his name to a cooperative society of which neither he nor anyone from his family is a primary member or depositor. “They have accused me in this case in Jodhpur,” Shekhawat told the media.
“In addition to attempting to ruin my reputation, they also accused my deceased mother. I have thus filed a defamation lawsuit under Section 500 of IPC against Ashok Gehlot,” Shekhawat went on to say.
उन्होंने न सिर्फ मेरा चरित्र हनन करने की कोशिश की बल्कि मेरी दिवंगत मां को भी अभियुक्त करार दिया। जिसके चलते मैंने धारा 500 के तहत मानहानि का मुकदमा दायर किया है: केंद्रीय मंत्री गजेंद्र सिंह शेखावत, दिल्ली pic.twitter.com/uoVv66RTsU
— ANI_HindiNews (@AHindinews) March 4, 2023
Reacting to the lawsuit initiated by the BJP leader, CM Gehlot said that he welcomes the move by Shekhawat as it would bring the alleged Sanjivani cooperative society scam into the national focus.
“I will welcome the defamation case. When asked about Shekhawat’s plan to bring the defamation action against him in Delhi, the chief minister told reporters that it will expedite the case and assist the victims who have lost money to the scam. “This man (Shekhawat) should be ashamed of himself. Being a Union Minister he should have called the victims and assisted them in obtaining justice,” he claimed.
Gehlot stated that the Rajasthan government is prepared to assist in the case’s investigation. He advised the Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take note of the alleged scam.
“The scam pertains to multi-state cooperative societies. Had it pertained to our state, we would have dealt. Now, this is the Centre’s job. We had written to Enforcement Directorate for action. But nothing happened,” Gehlot added.
This comes after Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot on February 22 accused Gajendra Singh Shekhawat of being involved in the alleged Sanjivani Credit Cooperative Society scam, saying police investigation has proven his involvement.
Gehlot said that Shekhawat is trying to mislead the public in the case even though the Special Operations Group (SOG) has shown his involvement in the matter, just like other arrested accused. CM Gehlot also alleged that not only Shekhawat but his family including his father, mother, wife, and brother-in-law are involved in the alleged scam.
Shekhawat hits back
Right after Gehlot’s remarks, Shekhwat attacked CM Gehlot, claiming that the senior Congress leader is falsely implicating him in the Sanjeevani Credit Cooperative Society scam out of frustration over the fact that he had defeated Gehlot’s son Vaibhav Gehlot from the Jodhpur constituency in the last Lok Sabha election.
Sanjivani Credit Society scam
Over 211 of the Sanjivani Credit Cooperative Society’s branches were opened in Rajasthan, and 26 in Gujarat. After that, the society defrauded nearly 2 lakh investors for a total of Rs 953 crore. As of now, the case has resulted in the arrests of Naresh Soni, Executive Officer Kishan Singh Choli, former President Devi Singh, and the main accused Vikram Singh Indra.
