Sachin Pilot sends legal notice to Congress MLA over bribery, horse-trading allegation; gives a week to respond

Sachin Pilot has demanded one rupee and a written apology from the Congress MLA who alleged that he was offered crores to switch to the BJP, a charge the dissident leader has described as a “bunch of lies”. Bari MLA Giriraj Singh Malinga had recently claimed he was made that offer at Pilot’s home, by the now sacked deputy chief minister himself. Pilot, who is involved in a power tussle with Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot, has served a notice to the MLA, giving him seven days to act on it. “We on behalf of our client call upon you to pay to our client a sum of Rs 1 and to tender a written apology before the press for issuing a false and frivolous allegation, within seven days of the receipt of this notice,” his advocate wrote. The notice said legal proceedings will begin against the MLA if he fails to do so. “You have alleged that my client had offered you money to switch to the BJP in the month of December, 2019. It is surprising that you had remained silent for a period of over seven months and suddenly raked up the bunch of lies solely with a purpose to malign the impeccable reputation of my client,” the notice said. The MLA told reporters on Monday that he had alerted Gehlot about the “conspiracy” to topple the Congress government in the state after Pilot allegedly made the offer. Malinga, who is holed up at a hotel along with other MLAs in the Gehlot camp, said he has not received any notice so far. “I will not comment anything on the matter,” he said. Malinga was one of six Bahujan Samaj Party MLAs who joined the Congress as a group after the 2018 Assembly polls.