Spat between a Congress legislator and an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer in Haryana over the issue of "defamation" continued with Rai MLA Jai Teerath Dahiya unsatisfied with inaction on his Breach of Privilege notice moved against IPS officer Bharti Arora, has decided to move the notice again seeking action against the top cop for serving a legal notice to Dahiya accusing him of defamation.
Aggrieved with the decision of Assembly speaker Kanwarpal Gurjar who disposed of a Breach of Privilege notice moved by Dahiya against Arora, without forwarding it to Privilege Committee of the House, the legislator has decided to move the Privilege notice against Arora again.
Speaking to The Statesman, Dahiya said that he was not satisfied with the decision taken by the speaker and would again move the Privilege notice against Arora, Principal-cum-Director of Motilal Nehru School of Sports (MNSS), Rai, in Sonipat.
"I raised the issues relating to irregularities at Rai Sports School, even an audit of the Finance Department has also revealed those irregularities. Being an elected representative, it is my duty to raise such issues and by doing so does not mean that is amounts to defame the official heading that school. But I was served legal notice, it is the breach of my privilege, hence I will move the Privilege notice again," Dahiya said.
The spat between the two started when Dahiya publically raised the issue relating to some alleged irregularities at MNSS. For which, Arora served him a legal notice for allegedly defaming her image through his statements in the media.
In the legal notice, Arora, also threatened to sue Dahiya for Rs 4 Crore and start criminal proceedings in case the Congress leader does not tender apology in a week.
However, Dahiya moved Vidhan Sabha with Breach of Privilege Notice against Arora under Rules 280-281-297 of Procedure and Conduct of Business of the State Legislative Assembly.
Following which, the Assembly Speaker issued how cause notice seeking explanation from the IPS officer while in her reply to the Assembly Speaker, Arora termed the statements of Dahiya in media as personal attack on her and defamatory. She further added that her legal notice does not even intend to violate the privilege of the House.
Arora also hit headlines when an audit of the MNSS, conducted by the Haryana Finance Department from 1 April, 2015, to 1 January, 2017, reportedly found gross irregularities during her tenure as director of the school.
The audit report says that there were embezzlement, fraudulent payments and misappropriation of funds in the purchase of sports material, furniture and other items in the school.