Babul Supriyo to file defamation case against Tapas Paul

Kolkata, Jan 2 (IANS) Union Minister Babul Supriyo said he is planning to file a defamation case against Trinamool Congress MP Tapas Paul for dragging his name in the Rose Valley chit fund scam.

"I am talking to my lawyers to file a stringent case of defamation against Tapas Paul for trying to malign my reputation. How can someone like him, who is in CBI custody, try to drag others in the case," Supriyo said.

Paul, who was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) last Friday, alleged that Supriyo was involved in the multi-crore Rose Valley chit fund scam.

"Babul Supriyo tricked me into the scam and he is involved in it," he claimed.

Terming those allegations as "crass", Supriyo on Sunday said Paul is being forced by his party, the Trinamool Congress, to make such statements.

"I know Tapas da (Paul) is being forced by his party to make such wild allegations. But he should not make such crass statements. He is already facing serious corruption charges," he said.

According to Trinamool Congress' national spokesperson Derek O'Brien's video post in Twitter, Supriyo termed himself as "a flower among the many flowers in Rose Valley".

Referring to his comments at the event earlier, Supriyo claimed his "light-hearted" comments does not prove his involvement in the scams.

"I always love to play with words. So I referred the celebrities as flowers at the New Year-eve party as many of them were present there. Why should such a light-hearted comment 'April fool' others," he said.