Suptd files defamation case against senior excise official; claims Rs 1 crore

Legal Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 28

A Superintendent of Central Excise and Service Tax, Ludhiana Commissionerate, Harinder Pal Singh, has filed a defamation case against the Principal Commissioner, Central Excise & Service Tax, KJ Chaudhary, before the court of Judicial Magistrate Komple Dhanjal. The court has fixed September 7 for recording the evidence of the complainant.

The complainant has alleged that the Commissioner has defamed him by terming him as a person of loose character and corrupt official.

He has stated that the allegations were made in front of his colleagues, seniors and subordinates as well as people from social circles, who were made to believe that the complainant was a man of less virtue and was corrupt, by taking advantage of his superior position in the department.

He has alleged that in routine, anonymous complaints against other officers are not entertained by the department. But in his case, the Commissioner ordered detailed investigations while ignoring all standard operating procedures of the department. So, he has reason to believe that some of the anonymous complaints were made at the behest of the accused.

The complainant has alleged that the officers were directly told to disassociate from him and block his cellphone number. He has specifically mentioned the names of two such officers.

Apart from this, Harinder Pal Singh has also filed a suit for damages of Rs 1 crore against Choudhary. Taking congnisance of the same, the court has ordered to issued summons to Choudhary for August 20.