New Delhi, Dec 18 (NationPress) Sulakshana Sawant, the spouse of Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, has lodged a defamation claim for Rs 100 crore against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) politician Sanjay Singh for allegedly identifying her in a 'Cash-for-Jobs Scam' in Goa during a press briefing held earlier this month.

She filed the defamation suit at the Civil Judge Senior Division Court in Bicholim, Goa, targeting Sanjay Singh.

An official press release states that the allegations assert Singh connected Sulakshana Sawant to a 'Cash-for-Jobs Scam' in Goa, suggesting her involvement in corrupt activities.

According to the allegations, “These statements were broadcast live on numerous national and regional news networks and circulated widely across social media platforms such as YouTube, accumulating considerable views.”

The lawsuit claims that these unfounded accusations were made without any credible evidence, resulting in damage to Sulakshana Sawant's reputation and public standing. It argues that Singh's statements, which were extensively transmitted and shared, magnified the false allegations.

“The defamation transpired during a press conference where Sanjay Singh made overt accusations against Sulakshana Sawant's integrity and her supposed involvement in the scam, thus tarnishing her reputation,” the press release noted.

According to the official press note, Sulakshana Sawant is seeking Rs 100 crores in damages for defamation, a permanent injunction against Sanjay Singh and his associates, preventing them from issuing or disseminating any defamatory statements, videos, or articles about her on any medium, including social media.

She has also requested a public apology from Sanjay Singh, clarifying the inaccuracies of his statements and the defamatory video or article.

Furthermore, Sawant has sought an injunction to avert additional defamatory remarks by Sanjay Singh or his associates throughout the duration of the lawsuit.

Additionally, Sawant has requested the court to award the costs associated with the lawsuit and any other suitable reliefs.

The press note further states that the baseless and defamatory claims made by Sanjay Singh are “Over the past decade, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government has been implicated in corruption and bribery disguised as job creation. The Chief Minister Pramod Sawant's wife has also been accused in this scandal, alongside several of his ministers.”

“This is not a trivial matter; it is a substantial job scam involving corruption and bribery in Goa, with direct involvement from the Chief Minister and his ministers. The names of the Chief Minister's wife and various brokers have been disclosed.”

“The severity of this job bribery scandal escalated when the former Governor, Satyapal Malik, publicly asserted that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant's wife was engaged in the job scam, accepting bribes for employment, committing corruption, and soliciting money.”

“This clearly suggests that the Chief Minister of Goa and his entire family are implicated in accepting bribes under the guise of providing jobs.”

Numerous job seekers have lodged complaints in Goa, alleging they were compelled to pay substantial sums to individuals who promised to secure jobs within the Goa government.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has stated that the state police are conducting a transparent investigation into the alleged cash-for-jobs scandal.