Mehul Choksi has approached Dominica's court for bail. (File)
Fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi's brother has sent a legal notice to Caribbean-based media outlet Associate Times for publishing an article based on "fake, unsubstantiated, false and unverified facts."
The media outlet had recently reported that Chetan Chinubhai Choksi, the elder brother of Mehul, the day after he landed in Dominica had met with the leader of opposition Lennox Linton at the latter's home for two hours and had promised to pay for election donation in exchange of support from the opposition to press the matter in the parliament.
Chetan Choksi's lawyer Ayush Jindal said his client has sought unconditional apology and issuance of a corrigendum clarifying the correct facts, in all print and digital media, and other social media platforms.
Mr Jindal in the legal notice stated: "Notice to cease and desist from reporting fake, unsubstantiated, false and unverified news against my client Chetan Choksi in respect to the matter of Mehul Choksi and thus, removal of the false news report from all mediums and to publish an unconditional apology to my client for reporting such false and fake stories and issue a corrigendum clarifying the correct facts, in all print and digital media, and other social media platforms."
"It is a very serious accusation and allegation that my client Chetan Choksi has bribed a political personality in Dominica. It is grossly defamatory and criminal. We have demanded clarification, apology and immediate removal of this article. Factually my client was quarantined in a facility and therefore no question of meeting with any leader arises," Mr Jindal said.
The notice copy states: "The news report contains a reference of my client in the headlines, and the name of my client has been repeatedly used throughout the article. It is clearly a part of an ongoing mala fide, vicious, vexatious and deliberate campaign inter alia to tarnish the reputation of my client, and his family members. The same has been acted upon through irrational and motivated means."
Mr Jindal said the report in the Caribbean news outlet "makes false, fabricated and misleading claim and falsely presents a distorted picture and gross accusations of an offence as serious as bribery, such accusations lead to Criminal defamation, and clearly meant to colour the minds of the public and prejudice my client."
"It appears that as part of a motivated plot, despite being cognizant of the full facts, you have chosen to cloak the reality using propaganda pieces aimed at harming the goodwill, relationships, the reputation, and the truth. In light of the oblique and tainted "news" story published by you irresponsibly and recklessly, without any degree of factual investigation and ignoring all journalistic ethics and principles," the notice stated.
Advocate Jindal mentioned that his client "has neither met nor had any interaction with any member of the media or any political persons, let alone meeting with a representative from your (Associate Times) organization."
"How you came to the conclusion that the comments have been made by my client when my client has completely refused to interact with the media or any related persons," the notice said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)