2G scam: Karunanidhi serves libel notice on Swamy

Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi on Sunday served a legal notice on Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy to publicly retract his statement seeking to implicate him in the 2G scam or face a civil and criminal defamation suit.

Karunanidhi said that he had "no involvement whatsoever in the so-called 2G spectrum scam" and Swamy's statement is "wilful and malicious defamation of character" motivated by ''personal malice, political rivalry and clamour for cheap publicity''.

The notice served on Karunanidhi's instructions by advocate P R Raman seeks public retraction within 24 hours by Swamy who submitted before a Delhi court that his private complaint seeking prosecution of A Raja in connection with the scam should be maintained despite the ongoing Central Bureau of Investigation probe, as his case covered wider issues including "involvement of CM of Tamil Nadu".

While categorically denying the involvement of Karunanidhi in the scam, the notice said the statement constituted wilful and malicious defamation of character of a person who has been in public service for over 70 years, a member of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly for over 50 years, the chief minister of the state on five occasions and was an acknowledged elder statesman in Indian politics.

''You are hereby called upon to forthwith issue a public retraction of the above statement within 24 hours, failing which our client will be constrained to institute appropriate civil and/or criminal proceedings against you for defamation of character…,'' the notice said.

Approached by mediapersons for his reaction, Swamy said his remarks constituted ''a privileged statement made in court … and repeated in the media.''

There is no question of initiating legal action against the statement, he said.