Apologise or pay Rs 100 crore in damages for defamation: Bihar minister to Prashant Kishor

Patna: Bihar minister Ashok Choudhary on Tuesday slapped a legal notice on Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor, asking him to tender an "unconditional apology" for defamatory remarks or face a civil suit seeking Rs 100 crore in damages.

Kishor, in a press conference here last week, accused Choudhary of being involved in an irregular land deal worth Rs 200 crore.

Choudhary holds the Rural Works portfolio and is a national general secretary of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U).

In the notice sent on behalf of the minister, his lawyer Kumar Anjaneya Shanu has asked the former poll strategist to "either provide proof to support your allegations or issue a written and oral unconditional apology, publicly in a press conference".

Kishor has been charged with having "caused irreparable harm and besmirched the reputation" of Choudhary, and warned of "a civil suit for damages amounting to Rs 100 crore" if an appropriate response to the notice did not come within a week of receipt of the same.