DKS files Rs 204 cr defamation suit against Yatnal

Senior Congress leader D K Shivakumar on Sunday filed a Rs 204 crore defamation suit against BJP Vijayapura MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal.

According to Shivakumar, he moved the court against false and baseless allegations made by Yatnal.

The suit has been filed with Kanakapura Senior Civil Judge and JMFC court.

The judge has admitted the suit and has issued summons to Yatnal. The defamation case will be taken up for hearing on September 18, 2019.

Shivakumar has already paid a court fee of Rs 1.04 crore.

Yatnal while speaking to media persons at Vijayapura had issued certain statements against Shivakumar on June 23, 2019.

Yatnal had accused Shivakumar of exerting pressure on national level BJP leaders and union BJP ministers to get relief from cases being probed by the Income Tax (IT) department and Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Yatnal had stated that Shivakumar had promised to remain neutral and would not become a stumbling block in the formation of BJP government in Karnataka.

"These remarks are passed with malafide intention to malign and tarnish my public image. This has put a huge question mark on my loyalty, sincerity, integrity and image at the party and public level," Shivakumar stated in the defamation suit.

"The probes by IT and ED, against me, my relatives and friends are before various courts. The false and baseless statements mislead the investigating agencies and mislead the probe. Further, it is damaging to an extent that I am looked at with suspicion by Kanakapura assembly constituency voters, Congress leaders, workers and citizens of India in general and Karnataka in particular," he said.

Shivakumar added, "It gives an impression that I am sacrificing the trust of people, leaders and voters for my personal and political gains. I have played a pivotal role in bringing the Congress- JD(S) coalition government to power. With these baseless statements, I am branded as a person instrumental in destabilising and dethroning the coalition government. This has caused major damage to my reputation, image and my loyalty towards the party."

The suit says that the irresponsible statements are aimed at impeding his political prosperity, growth and to put his image at stake in the eyes of leaders of Congress at the state and Central levels.

"It is a fact that during my stint as Water resources minister I undertook several official visits to national capital Delhi. These visits and meetings between June 12 and 19 were scheduled with a host of Union ministers to discuss conservation of water and drinking water projects. Water sharing issues and project implementation relating to Mahadayi, Mekedatu were discussed at length. It was my primary concern and duty too as a water resources minister to resolve the issues in the larger interest of the public. My official visits with large public interest have been misinterpreted by Yatnal to put me in a bad light in the eyes of leaders, public, voters and central leadership. This has caused mental agony and distressed me," he added in the petition.

Shivakumar has sought permanent restrain from Yatnal about the slanderous and maligning statement.