Apologise or face Rs 1-cr libel suit, Gogoi to Mahanta

GUWAHATI, SEPT 7: Assam PCC president Tarun Gogoi today said he has served a legal notice to Chief Minister P K Mahanta asking him to apologise for "defaming" him and his party for alleged nexus with the banned ULFA, failing which he would file a Rs one crore libel suit.

The notice was served recently asking Mahanta to tender his apology within two months. "If Mahanta fails to apologise within the stipulated time I will file a libel suit against him for defaming me and my party in an interview to a newspaper, which appeared on August five. I have been left with no other alternative to clear my name and that of my party," he told newsmen.

The former Union minister also challenged Mahanta to institute a judicial inquiry by a Supreme Court judge into the accusations as well as unearth the nexus of ULFA with any political party.

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"He (Mahanta) has avoided taking this step but goes on repeating the same inane and baseless charges," he said.

To Mahanta’s demand that the Congress be barred from participating in the polls in view of its alleged nexus with the underground organisation, Gogoi asked "how can he make such a demand without a judicial inquiry establishing such links."