Panaji, Mar 18 (IANS): The Goa BJP late on Friday filed a police complaint against AICC Secretary Girish Chodankar, accusing the latter of defaming the party earlier this week by alleging that Rs 1,000 crore was spent by the BJP in Goa to lure non-Congress MLAs to join its coalition.
The complaint, filed by state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Vinay Tendulkar at the Panaji police station, said that the comments were made "most irresponsibly with deliberate and calculated intent to harm and tarnish the reputation of the BJP and its leaders".
"Needless to state there is no truth in the imputations cast by Girish Chodankar against the BJP and the aforesaid statement has been made most irresponsibly with deliberate and calculated intent to harm and tarnish the reputation of the BJP and its leaders," the complaint said.
"The false and baseless statements made by Girish Chodankar have been widely circulated through print, TV and internet media and the same has tarnished the image of the BJP in the eyes of the public at large, which has huge faith in the BJP. Furthermore the false and baseless statements are not opinions given, touching any public question nor are they made as a caution for the public good," the complaint also said.
Responding to the charge, Girish Chodankar told IANS that he would face the complaint as he had done no wrong.
"They can do whatever they want. I am willing to face them. The BJP will also have to answer why three helicopters had landed at the Goa airport soon after a senior central minister arrived in the state. What were the helicopters carrying? Crackers from Delhi?" Chodankar said.
The Congress official had levelled the allegation on Wednesday.
A police spokesperson said that the complaint was filed under sections 500 and 501 of the Indian Penal Code.
"We have filed a non-cognisable report and investigations are on. We will be summoning both accused and complainant next week," the spokesperson said.