Goa CM's wife files Rs 100 cr defamation suit against AAP leader Sanjay Singh; court issues notice

Sanjay Singh

A court in Goa on Tuesday issued a notice to Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh on a defamation suit filed by CM Pramod Sawant’s wife who sought Rs 100 crore in damages from the AAP politician for allegedly naming her in the cash-for-jobs scam.

The court has sought Singh’s reply by January 10, 2025. Singh, a Rajya Sabha member, had recently addressed a press conference in Delhi where he allegedly made allegations against Sulakshana Sawant, the wife of CM Pramod Sawant. Sulakshana Sawant filed a complaint in the civil court at Bicholim in north Goa.

The ad-hoc civil judge heard the suit and issued a notice to Sanjay Singh, returnable on January 10, 2025. Sulakshana Sawant requested the court through her lawyers to direct Singh to publish an apology clarifying that the said defamatory video/article and interview are false, not based on facts, and tender an unconditional apology, her complaint stated. The complainant also urged the court to restrain Singh from making any public statements maligning her by injunction on social media or other platforms, such as WhatsApp, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.

Many aspirants had lodged complaints across Goa alleging they were forced to pay lakhs to some persons who promised to facilitate jobs in the Goa government. The chief minister had said that the state police are conducting a transparent investigation into the alleged cash-for-jobs scam.