Patna, RJD MP Sudhakar Singh on Monday urged Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to intervene over a defamation notice sent to him by a senior Bihar IPS officer, alleging that it could be an attempt to obstruct the discharge of his duties as a Parliamentarian.
The Buxar MP shared a screenshot of his communication to Birla on Facebook, days after writing an open letter to Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, asking whether the notice issued on behalf of Kundan Krishnan, DGP , had the state government's approval.
The notice, sent by a law firm on behalf of Krishnan, asked Singh to apologise for remarks allegedly made against the IPS officer at a press conference in June and in an interview with a news portal last month.
Singh has been told that if he fails to apologise within the stipulated period of time, a defamation suit will be filed in the court seeking " ₹5 crore in damages".
The RJD leader, who is a former state minister, has urged Birla to "order an investigation whether or not the notice is an attempt to lay obstacles in the way of my discharge of duties as a Member of Parliament. If it is found to be so, then the matter be referred to the Privilege Committee for action".
"Another serious aspect of the notice is that from its tone and tenure, the private law firm appears to have assumed the role of a counsel holding brief for the state government. As per the Constitution, only the Advocate General and other law officers appointed by the state can do so. An explanation be sought in this regard from the Bihar government by the Lok Sabha secretariat", said Singh.
{{/usCountry}}"Another serious aspect of the notice is that from its tone and tenure, the private law firm appears to have assumed the role of a counsel holding brief for the state government. As per the Constitution, only the Advocate General and other law officers appointed by the state can do so. An explanation be sought in this regard from the Bihar government by the Lok Sabha secretariat", said Singh.
{{/usCountry}}"I trust that as the custodian of the Parliament's dignity and its members' freedom, you would appreciate the seriousness of this matter and take appropriate action", the MP said to the Speaker.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
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