Deshmukh files defamation case against Gadkari

Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh today filed a criminal case of defamation against BJP leader Nitin Gadkari over the latter's corruption charges in the Sion-Panvel highway expansion project.

The case has been filed in the Bhoiwada metropolitan magistrate's court here with regard to Gadkari's allegations of corruption in tender process for the project while Deshmukh was Maharashtra Chief Minister.

Gadkari on December 18 had alleged in a press conference at Nagpur that a proper process was bypassed in awarding tenders for the project to favour a company in which Deshmukh's son, Amit, and Congress leader Ahmed Patel's son had a stake.

The BJP leader had alleged that the decision favoured the firm Indiabulls and it was not put before the state cabinet as per the procedure.

In the criminal case, Deshmukh has refuted all the allegations saying that neither his nor Patel's son had any interest in Indiabulls and the procedure regarding the contract had been approved by the cabinet in October 2006.

The decision was not implemented till recently, Deshmukh has said