Former MP and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kirit Somaiya has filed three defamation suits in the Bombay High Court. These suits target Ambadas Danve, the Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council, Lokshahi News Channel, and Anil Thatte, a YouTuber who uploaded content related to an alleged obscene video involving Somaiya.
Somaiya has sought Rs 100 crore damages from each of the defendants claiming that they have made allegedly defamatory statements against him with regard to the video. He also sought a direction to the respondents to take down the videos, not upload any more such defamatory videos or make statements against Somaiya in future.
A single bench of Justice S M Modak on Wednesday directed the respondents to file their affidavits within four weeks. Somaiya’s lawyer Hrishikesh Mundargi informed the court that the Lokshahi news channel in July ran the alleged obscene video along with defamatory statements.
The defendants (Lokshahi channel and Danve) gave scandalous opinions. Somaiya is a married man with children. He has a political standing in society. He has unearthed several scams of certain political leaders, following which these alleged videos have surfaced, Mundargi said.