Samajwadi Party serves defamation notice to MLA Ketakee Singh over 'tap theft' sally

Lucknow, Sep 6 (PTI) The Samajwadi Party has issued a defamation notice to Ketakee Singh, the BJP MLA from Bansdih Assembly Constituency in Ballia district, for accusing party chief Akhilesh Yadav of stealing taps from the CM's residence.

A press conference where Ketakee Singh made the accusation was aired on a YouTube channel, the party said.

The notice dated September 5 was sent to Ketakee Singh by Krishna Kanhaiya Pal, the national president of Samajwadi Adhivakta Sabha.

"That after watching and hearing the above answer, it became clear that you (Ketakee Singh) maliciously alleged that Akhilesh Yadav ji and Samajwadi Party had committed theft of taps ('totiya') from the Chief Minister's residence, when Akhilesh Yadav was the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.

"You deliberately arranged and addressed a press conference with the ulterior intention of defaming Akhilesh Yadav, the national president of Samajwadi Party, Ex-Chief Minister of UP and presently the Lok Sabha MP from Kannauj," Pal said.

The party termed the accusation "false", "misleading," and "defamatory." Pal said the remarks caused Akhilesh and him "humiliation, mental torture and harassment" and demanded from the MLA an apology, to be published in leading national newspapers and telecast on the same YouTube channel within 15 days of the notice.

The party threatened Ketakee Singh with civil and criminal proceedings for defamation if she fails to fulfil its demand.

On Wednesday, a group of SP female workers protested outside Ketakee Singh's residence in Lucknow over her remarks.

The MLA, who was in Ballia at the time, alleged that the party workers created a ruckus, vandalised her house, and frightened her minor daughter, who was forced to skip school.

She said she would file a police complaint in the matter.

The SP Mahila Sabha workers said they had gathered outside Katakee Singh's residence in the Gulista Colony of the state capital to "gift" her water taps, which she had accused the SP chief of stealing.

"We have come here to gift taps to Ketakee Singh. We are also here to demand accountability on law and order, employment, crimes against women, lathi charge on students, and farmers' income," SP leader Neha Yadav told reporters. PTI NAV VN VN