Daijiworld Media Network

Ahmedabad, May 21: Reliance Group led by Anil Ambani has decided to withdraw the Rs 5,000-crore civil defamation suits filed in an Ahmedabad court against Congress leaders and National Herald newspaper. The civil defamation suits were filed over statements and an article on the controversial Rafale fighter jet deal.

"We have intimated the defendants that we are going to withdraw the suits against them," the complainant's lawyer,” PTI quoted Rasesh Parikh saying on Tuesday, May 21.

The suits were being heard in the court of city civil and sessions judge P J Tamakuwala.

As per PTI, P S Champaneri, the lawyer representing the National Herald and some other defendants, said he was told by the Reliance Group's counsel that he received instructions from his client to withdraw the defamation suits against them.

The formal process to withdraw the suits will be taken up in the court when it resumes after the summer vacation, Champaneri said.

Reliance Defence, Reliance Infrastructure and Reliance Aerostructure — part of the Anil Ambani-owned Reliance Group — had earlier filed civil defamation suits against Congress leaders including Sunil Jakhar, Randeep Singh Surjewala, Oommen Chandy, Ashok Chavan, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Sanjay Nirupam and Shaktisinh Gohil, and some journalists and news organisations like the National Herald.

The defamation suits were also filed against the National Herald's editor Zafar Agha, and Vishwadeepak, the author of a news article published by it.

Before going for summer vacation, the court was hearing applications moved by the defendants questioning the territorial jurisdiction of the court in Ahmedabad to hear such suits.

The complainants said the defendants made libelous and derogatory statements against the Reliance Group and its chairman Anil Ambani pertaining to the Rafale fighter jet deal and his firms.