Ahmedabad, Oct 22 (NIE): Calling the multi-billion dollar Rafale jet deal as “the biggest scam in the history of Independent India”, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh has said that he stands by his statement.

Singh, who appeared at a civil and sessions court in Ahmedabad city on Saturday in connection with a defamation case filed against him by Reliance Infrastructure Limited and Reliance Defence Limited —- Anil Ambani’s firms at the centre of the controversy — said: “I stand by what I said. These capitalists can’t keep me silent. Rafale deal is the biggest scam in the history of independent India. I had received a notice from the Reliance in February and had responded accordingly. Yet, they have filed a defamation suit against me.”

The Anil Ambani’s firms have sought a damage of Rs 5,000 crore from Singh who have alleged a “scam” in the deal made by the NDA government with the French government, and French company Dassault Aviation.

In its defamation suit, the two Ambani firms have also sought injunction to “permanently restrain the defendant… from in any manner stating, issuing, circulating, distributing, carrying out reports or making statement of any kind, directly or indirectly,… concerning the plaintiffs and from further making, circulating or causing or authorising to be published and circulated the words complained of or similar defamatory matter relating to the plaintiffs.”

Sanjay Singh’s lawyer, Dhiraj Singh, said: “We have not filed our reply yet as we are looking for some more documents which we have not received. We have filed an application for getting that document. Accordingly, we will file written submission.”

Later, the AAP leader tweeted that the next hearing in the case in December 7.