The Puducherry government is planning to file a defamation case against Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi for making baseless allegations against the state, Chief Minister V Narayanasamy said on Saturday, according to The New Indian Express. The chief minister alleged that through her social media posts, Bedi was indirectly interfering with an ongoing Central Bureau of Investigation probe into a medical admission scam.
Hours later, Bedi retaliated, claiming Narayanasamy was threatening her for her views on the alleged scam, PTI reported.
Narayanasamy said he had heard about the CBI raids at the residences of Puducherry government officials but added that Bedi kept demanding the government officials, the chief secretary, ministers, and the chief minister take responsibility for the admission scam, the newspaper report said.
“She is functioning as a police officer,” The Hindu quoted Narayanasamy as saying. “Instigating officers against whom a probe was on is a criminal offence. The government has taken a serious note of her statement.”
Bedi responded saying, “Instead of seeking an explanation from Chief Secretary as to why this (irregularity in admission) had happened, the Chief Minister is threatening the Lieutenant Governor and the media for doing its duty”.
Bedi and the government in the Union Territory have been at odds since soon after she was sent there in May 2016. On June 16 this year, the Puducherry Assembly had passed a resolution asking the central government to curtail the powers of the lieutenant governor, on the allegation that Bedi was not cooperating with the state government.
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