I got confused, says Rahul Gandhi after defamation suit

Bhopal: Soon after Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s son Kartikeya filed a defamation case against Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday, for linking him to the Panama Papers expose, the Congress president said the large number of corruption cases against BJP leaders and their kin had him confused. Mr Gandhi said he had meant Chhattisgarh chief minister’s son Abhishek, and not Kartikeya Chouhan, as amongst the people listed in Panama Papers for having illegally stashed their money in safe havens abroad.

“I have nothing to do with Panama Papers. Charges levelled against me by the Congress president were not only baseless but also ridiculous. He wanted to defame members of my family by making such baseless charges”, the junior Chouhan told reporters here. On Monday, while addressing a public meeting in Nimar-Malwa area in Madhya Pradesh, Mr Gandhi had alleged that the chief minister’s son’s name was mentioned in the infamous in Panama Papers. On Tuesday, following news of the defamation suit, Mr Gandhi said that he got confused between Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh’s son and Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s ward. Mr Gandhi said he had meant Chhattisgarh chief minister’s son Abhishek while making the remark.

“There were so many scams in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Hence, I got confused over them (where they are taking place),” he said while addressing a public meeting at Khargone in Madhya Pradesh.

Junior Chouhan’s counsel said his client had sought an unconditional apology from the Congress chief for making such wild and baseless allegation against him.