Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari has tendered an “unconditional apology” to former BJP president Nitin Gadkari for the allegations made against him in the Adarsh Society Scam.
“I state that in future, I will never put you in disrepute by making any comments with regard to the Adarsh Society,” Tewari said in a written submission made in the court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Mumbai. Announcing this here BJP spokesperson Meenakshi lekhi quoted Tewari’s unconditional apology to Gadkari.
Tewari, in his capacity as spokesperson of the Congress, had made a statement at a Press conference on November 10, 2010, alleging that Gadkari owned a benami flat in the Adarsh Society. Gadkari had filed a criminal defamation suit against Tewari after he refused to apologise for the allegations.
In his submission before the court, Tewari said, “I state that, after perusal of the newspaper reports regarding the judicial commission appointed to investigate the Adarsh Society scam, it reveals that you have not played any role or you have any concern of whatsoever nature with the scam”.
He further submitted before the court that “therefore, now I understand that whatever statements I had addressed in the press conference on November 10, 2010, which were aired in electronic media and printed on November 11, 2010 in print media, were not related to the true facts”.
Tewari, in his submission before the court also said “ I understand that, by such statements you have to suffer huge disrepute and have to face uncomfortable situation within your party and the society. Therefore, by this communication, I tender my unconditional apology for the allegations made against you.” In the light of the unconditional apology tendered by Tewari in the court, Gadkari on Wednesday moved the Additional Metropolitan Court with a plea to withdraw his petition.