Odisha Cong MLA files complaint for criminal defamation against BJP's Sambit Patra

Odisha Congress MLA MohammadMoquim on Friday filed a complaint for criminal defamation ina local court against BJP national spokesman Sambit Patra andsought his prosecution.

Moquim, the legislator of Barabati-Cuttack, had serveda legal notice to Patra in December last year threatening toprosecute him if he did not tender a public apology forallegedly tarnishing the public image of all Congress MLAs ofthe state, including him.

''As the public apology from Sambit Patra did not come,I was left with no other option but to take legal steps todesist him from further defaming my reputation,'' Moquim said.

He filed the complaint in the court of sub-divisionaljudicial magistrate in Cuttack through his advocate.

While talking to a section of the media on December 1,Patra reportedly made an accusation against all the nineCongress MLAs of Odisha in connection with the sensationalkidnap and murder of a minor girl of Nayagarh district.