Former Congress MLA Sudhir Sharma files criminal defamation complaint against Himachal CM

Former Congress MLA Sudhir Sharma files criminal defamation complaint against Himachal CM

BJP candidate from Dharamshala assembly seat Sudhir Sharma on Tuesday filed a criminal defamation complaint against Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, accusing him of making baseless allegations to tarnish his image.

Sharma is among the six rebel Congress MLAs who defected to the BJP and have now been fielded by the saffron party in the byelection from their respective constituencies.

The private criminal complaint filed under Section 199 CrPC for the prosecution of the respondent alleged that the CM during his speeches in Kutlehar and Nadaun said that Sharma and five other Congress rebel legislators had ''auctioned themselves for Rs 15 crore''.

''We do not have money but we have honesty, morality and support of the people,'' the complaint said, adding the allegations made by Sukhu were ''without any basis, unwarranted and unprecedented''.

It claimed the remarks were aimed at tarnishing the image and reputation of the complainant among the general public and damaging his electoral prospects in the upcoming assembly bypolls.

The complaint has been filed under sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which deal with criminal defamation, Earlier, Sharmaa had sent a legal notice to Sukhu on Friday seeking Rs five crore as compensation which was followed by a complaint to SP Kangra for the registration of an FIR for alleged criminal defamation.

Sharma was among the nine non-BJP legislators who had voted in favour of the party nominee Harsh Mahajan in the Rajya Sabha elections held on February 27.

The six Congress MLAs were disqualified from the Assembly by the Speaker for defying a whip to be present in the assembly during the passage of the budget.

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