Hearing on Gadkari's defamation suit against Digvijaya Singh today

New Delhi: The defamation suit filed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Nitin Gadkari against Congress General Secretary Digvijaya Singh is likely to be heard on Monday. Gadkari sued Digvijaya after the latter attempted to link Gadkari and his close aide Ajay Sancheti to the coal blocks allocations controversy.

The hearing will take place in Patiala House Court post 2 pm. However, Gadkari's lawyers say that the hearing will happen only if he attends it. Otherwise, a fresh date will be sought.

Attacking the BJP over the coal controversy, Digvijaya Singh had claimed, "Ajay Sancheti, BJP MP and close aide and business partner of Nitin Gadkari, has been given coal block in single bidding while no allocations are done in single-bidding leading to losses in crores. Ask BJP how this was allocated in single bidding?"

Gadkari\'s lawyers say that the hearing will happen only if he attends it. Otherwise, a fresh date will be sought.

Sancheti said that his firm SMS Infrastructure Limited was being dragged into the coal block allocation controversy. Sources said that he was unlikely to surrender his stakes in a Chhatisgarh-based PSU, which would undoubtedly upset a section of the BJP. Sources added that such a move could be seen as an admission of guilt.

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