Ahmedabad:

A defamation complaint was filed in a metropolitan court here today against Congress president Rahul Gandhi and party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala in connection with their remarks, statements and social media posts about the alleged scam regarding large-scale deposit of scrapped notes in Ahmedabad District Cooperative Bank, of which BJP president Amit Shah was a director, during just five days after announcement of demonetization on November 8, 2016.

The court has ordered an inquiry under section 202 of the CrPC in the matter before proceeding further on the complaint lodged in the court by ACB chairman Ajay Patel.

The court also instructed Patel to remain present in the court on September 17, when it was likely to decide as to whether to admit the matter for hearing or not.

Patel with his complaint has also attached the copy of a CD and transcripts of the statements, tweets etc of the accused.

Notably in June this year Surjewala had during a press conference alleged that ADC bank received the highest amount of old demonetized notes, worth Rs 745.58 crore, in just five days after the note ban was announced on November 8, 2016. It was the only one of the 370 district cooperative banks across the country to receive such a large sum of demonetized notes in five days.

“ADCB chairman Ajay Patel is a prominent BJP leader, a close associate of Amit Shah. Five days after demonetization, all cooperative banks were banned from accepting demonetized notes with the pretence of preventing money laundering through them,’ Surjewala had said. He had also alleged that in 11 district cooperative banks in Gujarat headed by BJP leaders, including those in Ahmedabad and Rajkot, Rs 3,118.51 crore worth of old notes were deposited within five days of demonetization.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi had also taken a jibe at BJP and Shah with his tweet on June 22.

“Congratulations Amit Shah ji , Director, Ahmedabad Dist. Cooperative Bank, on your bank winning 1st prize in the conversion of old notes to new race. 750 Cr in 5 days! Millions of Indians whose lives were destroyed by demonetisation, salute your achievement,” Rahul had tweeted.

Patel in his complaint has alleged that the false accusation by Congress leaders had affected the image of the bank and they were liable to action under defamation laws.

DeshGujarat