Arjun Khotkar may file defamation suit

Shiv Sena minister Arjun Khotkar has requested chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to initiate an inquiry into allegations levelled against him by AAP leader Preeti Menon that he siphoned off `500 crore in the sale of APMC shops to traders.

Mr Khotkar on Thursday evening met the CM and submitted a letter to him, requesting a detailed examination of all allegations.

“I have been representing Jalna assembly constituency since 1990 and have been elected four times with this being the fifth time. I have been chairman of the Jalna Agriculture Product Market Committee since 2008. My image as well as that of APMC directors has been maligned with AAP leader Ms Menon making baseless allegations against me,” said Mr Khotkar.

Mr Khotkar met Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Friday and informed him about Ms Menon’s allegations and the facts. Post the meeting, while speaking to media, he said that he had decided to file a defamation case against Ms Menon.

According to Ms Menon, Mr Khotkar siphoned off Rs 500 crore in the sale of 1,500 shops owned by APMC to merchants. She has demanded that a probe be conducted by a retired judge of the high court. Quizzed on the matter, Ms Menon said, “We have no faith in the chief minister. Ministers who’ve been charged with scams have been given the clean chit by him. In Mr Khotkar’s case too, a similar decision will be made and hence, we demand probe by a retired judge of the high court.”

She added that she would meet the CM and submit documents and proofs against Mr Khotkar. Asked about Mr Khotkar’s threat to file a defamation case against her, she said she was ready to face any action.