Union minister Babul Supriyo on Thursday reiterated that he will initiate legal action against two Trinamool Congress MPs and the wife of one of them for allegedly dragging his name in the Rose Valley chit fund scam.
"I will file both criminal and civil defamation cases against Sougata Roy, Tapas Paul and his wife for trying to malign me. I have received video footage of their statements," he said after meeting Home Minister Rajnath Singh in Delhi.
"I will meet my lawyers on the matter later today (Thursday)," he said.
Trinamool MP Tapas Paul -- arrested on December 30 by the Central Bureau of Investigation in the chit fund scam -- alleged Supriyo's direct involvement in the ponzi scheme and called him a "close aide" of Rose Valley owner Gautam Kindu.
Paul's wife Nandini Paul allegedly echoed her husband's statements later.
Trinamool MP Sougato Roy on Wednesday accused the BJP leader of being on the payroll of Rose Valley.
More From This Section
Responding to the Trinamool leader's comments, Supriyo said there will be "consequences" if Roy fails to prove his statements.
"He accused me of being on the payroll of Rose Valley. He will face consequences if he fails to provide evidence to support his statements. I will see this matter till the end," Supriyo said.
on January 3, Trinamool Congress' Lok Sabha member and former Union minister Sudip Bandyopadhyay was also arrested in the case.
--IANS
mgr/ssp/tsb/bg