Civil rights activist and academic Anand Teltumbde has written to the Maharashtra government seeking sanction to file a defamation suit against Additional Director-General of Police (Law and Order) Param Bir Singh. The police officer had addressed a press conference in Mumbai on August 31 and mentioned Mr. Teltumbde name in connection with the arrest of activists for alleged links to banned Maoist organisations. The Pune police had raided the homes of several civil rights activists on August 28, including Mr. Teltumbde’s residence in Goa.
In his letter to the Principal Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Mr. Teltumbde has said that allegations made by Mr. Singh at the press conference were “palpably false”. The letter refuted several claims by Mr. Singh including letters written to Mr. Teltumbde and, more specifically, him being involved in organising a conference in Paris.
Mr. Teltumbde in his letter has said that the entire exercise had sullied his reputation before his students, academic colleagues, corporate clients and public at large.
“My reputation has been irreparably damaged due to which I am also suffering professionally. Since the injury caused to me has been a direct result of Mr. Param Bir Singh’s malafide and motivated actions, and since Mr. Param Bir Singh has publicised falsehoods against me knowing them to be untrue. Therefore, I am desirous of filing a criminal defamation proceeding against him ,” the letter stated.