Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 3: Health Minister Bali Bhagat today filed defamation suit against a daily Urdu newspaper for publishing false and frivolous news against him.
Additional Sessions Judge Jammu Shahzad Azeem after hearing Senior Advocate Sunil Sethi with Advocate Parimoksh Seth issued notice to Editor of the paper.
In the suit, it has been submitted that the said paper for two consecutive days published false and defamatory news items against the Minister alleging about the purchase of gold weighing 2.50 kg. by his wife Smt. Asha Bali from Ch. Shankar Shah Ishar Dass Jewelers at Jammu.
Further, the news item was highly motivated and false and was meant to defame the Minister, who is is performing his duties as Minister satisfactorily and within the purview of the provisions of Constitution.
The petitioner prayed before the court to pass a decree of Rs. 5 lakh as damages for defamation and injury to reputation.