25 October,2023 07:03 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Kirit Somaiya
Former Bharatiya Janata Party Member of Parliament, Kirit Somaiya, has initiated three defamation lawsuits in the Bombay High Court. The suits are directed against Ambadas Danve, the leader of the opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council, the Lokshahi news channel, and Anil Thatte, a YouTuber, stated a report in PTI. These actions were taken in response to their involvement in disseminating content related to an alleged obscene video involving Somaiya.
According to the report in PTI, Somaiya is seeking damages of Rs 100 crore from each defendant, asserting that they made defamatory statements against him concerning the video. Furthermore, he has requested the court to instruct the defendants to remove the videos from circulation, refrain from publishing any further defamatory content, and abstain from making future defamatory statements about him. An unconditional apology is also being sought from the defendants.
In response to these allegations, a single bench of Justice SM Modak instructed the respondents to submit their affidavits within four weeks. Somaiya's legal representative, Hrishikesh Mundargi, apprised the court that in July, the Lokshahi news channel aired the alleged obscene video alongside defamatory comments, the report further added.
Mundargi argued, "The defendants, including Lokshahi channel and Danve, expressed scandalous opinions. Mr. Somaiya is a married man with children, and he holds a significant political standing within society. He has exposed several scandals involving certain political leaders, which has led to the emergence of these alleged videos."
The plea also mentions that Thatte, on his YouTube channel, shared videos that tarnished Somaiya's reputation. Additionally, it was noted that Somaiya had already lodged a police complaint, and the investigation is currently underway.
What is the case about?
Kirit Somaiyafound himself embroiled in a controversy surrounding a viral video that surfaced on the internet. He was spotted in a comprising position with a woman virtually. In a letter dated July 17, addressed to Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also serves as the Home Minister, Somaiya implored for a thorough probe to ascertain the authenticity of the viral video. He later shared a picture of this letter on his official Twitter account. Somaiya emphasized that he has never engaged in any misconduct towards any woman and urged Fadnavis to initiate an investigation into the incident.
Mumbai Congress Chief, Varsha Gaikwad, expressed her dissatisfaction with the alleged viral video involving the BJP leader on her Twitter account. Taking a dig at Somaiya for being publicly exposed, she also criticized the saffron party's "Beti Bachao Beti Padhao" initiative. Gaikwad's tweet suggested that such incidents reveal a need to protect daughters from BJP leaders.
