BJP General Secretary Vinod Tawde has sent a legal notice to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and party leaders Rahul Gandhi and Supriya Shrinate and demanded an unconditional apology over allegations of 'cash for vote' during the Maharashtra Assembly elections.
Tawde termed the allegations as "false and baseless,” demanding the Congress leaders issue apologies. If they fail to apologise, the BJP leader will file both criminal and civil cases against them, he said.
The notice, sent on behalf of Tawde by his lawyers, states that the Congress leaders have made deliberate false and baseless allegations against him, rendering themselves liable for prosecution under relevant laws.
“Our client says that you all have made deliberate false and baseless allegations against our client in respect of his conduct in the discharge of his duties as the responsible office bearer of the political party. In the circumstances, by your false, baseless, malicious and mala fide imputations you have rendered yourself liable for prosecution under S.356 BNS and also for the damages under the civil laws,” it read. The damage to his reputation has been valued at ₹100 crore for the purpose of civil action.
According to the notice, Tawde has given the Congress leaders 24 hours to tender an unconditional apology, which should be published in at least three English and three language newspapers, as well as on X.
“Our client has decided to give you all an opportunity for tendering unconditional apology to our client hence; you all are hereby called upon to tender unconditional apology to our client within 24 hours from the time of receipt of this notice with prior intimation to our client by getting the unconditional apology published in the equally bold letters in the at least three English and three Language news papers Hindi and Marathi news paper on the front page and also transmitted on Twitter/X account etc,” the notice added.
The notice added that in case of failure to comply with the above demands the complainant will initiate criminal proceedings under Section 356. "Further, kindly note that in the event of your failure to comply with the above, our client will be constrained to initiate criminal proceeding u/s. 356 BNS for punishing you, wherein the imprisonment is for two years and also the civil proceedings for the damages of ₹100 Crores against you all jointly and severally, in the proper court of law and the same will be entirely at your risk as to the cost and consequences thereof," the notice read.
Earlier, workers of the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) gheraoed Tawde at a Virar hotel in Palghar district and accused him of distributing cash to woo voters. They claimed that the BJP leader was caught red-handed with cash. The BVA workers alleged that Tawde had a bag with a diary and references to the distribution of ₹15 crore.
Click here for live updates on Maharashtra elections
