Vartika Singh alleged that two "aides" of Smriti Irani asked for money from her (File)
Union Minister Smriti Irani's legal counsel Kirat Nagra on Saturday said the case filed against her by shooter Vartika Singh is based on "the most bizarre and mischievous set of falsehoods" and that "political patronage" is writ large on the matter.
Mr Nagra said the case is a concerted attempt to bring disrepute to and defame the minister and that she will take legal recourse against it.
Singh has moved a court in Sultanpur in Uttar Pradesh accusing Ms Irani and two others of demanding money to make her a member of the central women's commission, days after she was herself named in a police complaint.
In November this year, a complaint was filed against the shooter and another person at Musafirkhana police station in Amethi district.
Reacting to the matter, Nr Nagra said in a statement, "This is a concerted attempt to bring disrepute to and defame my client on the basis of the most bizarre and mischievous set of falsehoods which also included brazen forgeries of official documents by this individual."
Mr Nagra said that to deflect attention from the investigation into the FIR against her for forging official documents, Singh has "lodged some fictitious case which we have read about in the press."
"A malicious attempt has been made at seeking publicity by a habitual criminal offender wherein political patronage is writ large for this slander and defamation," Mr Nagra said.
Mr Nagra said Ms Irani would take legal recourse in the matter, "including availing both civil and criminal prosecution remedies as available in law to my client."
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