By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 21 Jul: Badri Kedar Temple Committee member Ashutosh Dimri, who is a journalist by profession, has sent a legal notice to the former Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) Chief, Ganesh Godiyal, asking him to apologise for levelling “baseless allegations” against him or face a defamation suit.
It may be recalled that Godiyal, a former Congress MLA, was the Chairman of the Badri-Kedar Temple Committee (BKTC) during Congress rule between 2012 and 2017. Godiyal had held a press conference on 8 July at which he had levelled several allegations against Committee member Ashutosh Dimri regarding alleged irregularities.
This has happened soon after Dimri wrote a letter to Cabinet Minister and Srinagar MLA Dhan Singh Rawat regarding several irregularities allegedly committed by Godiyal during his tenure as the Temple Committee Chairman. Dimri had demanded a high level inquiry against Godiyal. After this, Dhan Singh Rawat had directed the Chief Secretary and the Secretary, Religious Affairs, to conduct an inquiry into the allegations.
Following this, Godiyal held a press conference on 8 July levelling several counter allegations against Dimri. Now Dimri has sent a legal notice to Godiyal through his legal counsel. The notice states that Godiyal has made false, fabricated and baseless allegations against Dimri and that, under the conspiracy, his client is being defamed. The notice has further demanded that Godiyal withdraw the allegations publicly and apologise otherwise be prepared to face a defamation suit. The notice also asserts that levelling fabricated and baseless charges against Dimri is a criminal act.
One of the allegations levelled by Godiyal was that Dimri had secured huge advertisements to the tune of Rs 25 lakhs for his publications. Dimri has denied the allegation.
Speaking about the legal notice served by his advocate on the Congress leader, Dimri claimed he would retire from public life if any evidence of the “false, baseless allegations” made against him could be provided by Godiyal. However, in case of the failure to come up with any evidence to substantiate Godiyal’s charges against him, the Congress leader should publicly apologise, failing which he would sue Godiyal. Dimri reiterated his allegations against Godiyal of “major financial irregularities” during his tenure as Chairman of the Temple Committee. He added that many of these irregularities were committed with the support of Engineer Anil Dhyani and other officers. The level of corruption was rampant during the tenure of Godiyal and therefore he would reiterate his demand for a high level inquiry.
This notice has been sent by the lawyer to the village address of Ganesh Godiyal.
