BENGALURU: Social activist TJ Abraham on Wednesday filed a defamation lawsuit against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in a special court, alleging that the CM called him a “blackmailer” and made defamatory remarks.
Abraham submitted a 19-page complaint to the special court that try cases against current and former MPs/ MLAs. He is among the petitioners who urged Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot to permit an investigation against Siddaramaiah in the alleged Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam.
In his petition, Abraham claimed that the CM, while speaking to the media, made defamatory remarks about him. He mentioned that on August 2, the CM, in response to questions about the MUDA case, said that Abraham “is a blackmailer with bad antecedents, who has lodged several false complaints against various individuals”.
He also further mentioned that the CM posted the defamatory allegations on X on the same day. He has attached a video clip and screenshot of the CM’s statements in his petition.
Abraham told reporters, “In his enthusiasm for vengeance against me, Siddaramaiah made certain public statements. He called me a blackmailer and a person with bad antecedents. He has taken 14 sites by creating a bogus and illegal claim, and yet he calls me a blackmailer. I have filed a defamation case against him. We will see how he escapes this.”