Ahmedabad: Anil Ambani’s Reliance Defence, Reliance Infrastructure and Reliance Aerostructure have in the court of city civil and sessions judge P J Tamakuwala in Ahmedabad filed a Rs 5,000-crore civil defamation suit against the Associated Journals Limited, the publisher of the National Herald, its editor in charge Zafar Agha, and author of the article, Vishwadeepak, claiming an article published in the newspaper regarding the Rafale fighter deal was “libellous and derogatory”. The judge has issued notices to the respondents and sought replies by September 7.

In the suit, the companies alleged –

-The article titled ‘Anil Ambani floated Reliance Defence 10 days before Modi announced Rafale deal’ was libellous and defamatory.

– The article “misleads the general public to believe that undue business favours are being extended to them by the government of the day”.

-The article conveys a “negative image” and “adversely affects the public perception” of Reliance Group and its chairman Ambani.

– The article has caused “considerable damage” to reputation and goodwill of plaintiff firms