The Ahmedabad District Cooperative Bank, known as ADC Bank, has filed criminal defamation cases against Congress president Rahul Gandhi and senior Congress leader Randeep Surjewala over their allegation of irregularities in conversion of old currency notes into new post-demonetisation.
Interestingly, this comes within a week’s time of the Opposition party facing a similar defamation case as earlier this month Anil Ambani had filed Rs 5000-crore defamation suit against Congress-owned ‘National Herald’ over an article published in the newspaper on the Rafale fighter planes deal.
The ADC Bank management filed the case in a local court in Ahmedabad on the basis of Surjewala’s allegation during a press conference that the bank had exchanged demonetized currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 worth over Rs 745 crore in five days after demonetisation was announced on November 8, 2016. Surjewala and All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Rahul Gandhi had also posted tweets for the same. Following the defamation complaint, the court has ordered inquiry in the matter and posted hearing on September 17. The Congress leaders termed the demonetisation as National Scam in which ADC Bank was involved. They also pointed out that BJP president Amit Shah was director in the bank. Terming the allegation false, ADC Bank chairman Ajay Patel, who is known close aide of BJP chief Shah, filed defamation case. “Director, Ahmedabad Dist. Cooperative Bank, on your bank winning 1st prize in the conversion of old notes to new race. 750 Cr in 5 days! Millions of Indians, whose lives were destroyed by Demonetisation, salute your achievement,” Gandhi tweeted on June 22, 2018.