BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis and NCP leader Nawab Malik
Senior NCP leader and Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik's son-in-law Sameer Khan has sent a legal notice to BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis for 'defamatory and false allegations against him'. Khan has also demanded Rs 5 crore on account of 'mental torture, agony and financial loss' because of Fadnavis' statement.
Malik also retweeted a tweet of his daughter Nilofer Malik Khan carrying a copy of the legal notice. The notice said that Fadnavis accused Sameer Khan of possessing drugs, while the investigation into the case is still going on.
"The chargesheet filed by the Narcotics Control Bureau does not support even a single allegation levied by you. The Panchnama dated 14/01/2021 clearly says that the house was searched and no contraband/suspicious substance was found in my client's house or under his possession. But from which source you obtained such false, frivolous and baseless report is better known to you," the legal notice for defamation said.
"My daughter has sent a legal notice to former CM & BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis over his allegation that drugs were found at our residence. We will file a defemination case against Fadnavis, if he will not apologise to us," Malik told reporters at a press conference in Mumbai on Thursday morning.
Sameer Khan was arrested in a drug case by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in January this year. He was granted bail in September by a court, citing lack of evidence.
According to a PTI report, Fadnavis in a statement to a news channel on November 1 said Malik's son-in-law was "found with drugs in his possession" and that "in whose house drugs were found then what their party will be", it said.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra BJP's chief spokesperson Keshav Upadhye said, "Devendra Fadnavis has levelled allegations against Malik's son-in-law based on an ongoing case against him. He was behind bars for eight months. We have decided to respond to his notice legally."
Nawab Malik had last week sought to link Fadnavis with an alleged narcotics dealer by tweeting the latter's photograph with the former CM and his wife. Fadnavis later alleged that there was a dubious land deal involving the NCP leader, his family members and two convicts of the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case. The minister had refuted the allegations.
READ MORE: Nawab Malik's 'hydrogen bomb': Fadnavis has links with Dawood aide, ex-CM shielded fake note racket
