New Delhi: On December 18, 2024, Sulakshana Sawant, the wife of Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, filed a defamation lawsuit for Rs 100 crore against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sanjay Singh. This action stems from Singh’s allegations that linked her to a “Cash-for-Jobs Scam” in Goa during a recent press conference.
The lawsuit, submitted in the Civil Judge Senior Division Court in Bicholim, Goa, asserts that Singh made unsubstantiated claims about Sulakshana Sawant’s involvement in corrupt practices. These assertions were broadcast live on various national and regional news outlets and shared widely on platforms such as YouTube, where they received substantial attention.
According to the press release, the lawsuit contends that these false accusations have damaged Sulakshana Sawant’s reputation and public image without any credible evidence backing them. Singh’s claims, made during the press conference, directly questioned her integrity and purported involvement in the alleged scam.
Sulakshana Sawant’s legal action seeks Rs 100 crores in damages for defamation, along with a permanent injunction preventing Singh and his associates from making further defamatory remarks about her on any platform, including social media. Additionally, she is demanding a public apology from Singh to clarify the falsehoods of his statements and the content of the alleged defamatory video and articles.
The suit also requests an injunction against any further defamatory statements during the legal proceedings and aims to recover legal costs and any other appropriate remedies.
Allegations previously raised by Singh included claims of systemic corruption and bribery related to job creation in Goa, implicating the Chief Minister and his associates. He referred to comments made by former Governor Satyapal Malik, who reportedly stated that Sulakshana Sawant was involved in accepting bribes for job placements.
The situation has escalated as several job aspirants in Goa have come forward, alleging that they were coerced into paying large sums to individuals promising government jobs. Pramod Sawant has maintained that the state police are carrying out a transparent investigation into the alleged cash-for-jobs scam.