Bengaluru, Sep 6 (PTI) Tamil Nadu Congress MP Sasikanth Senthil on Saturday said he has filed a criminal defamation case against Karnataka MLA Janardhan Reddy in a court here for making allegations and linking him to the Dharmasthala case, and rejected the claims as "politically motivated and reckless".
Alleging that it was a "right-wing coordinated attempt" as he opposes their politics, Senthil, who had served as an IAS officer in Karnataka in the past, including as Deputy Commissioner in Dakshina Kannada district, said that he also feels somewhere Tamil Nadu politics is being pushed in Karnataka.
Senthil asserted that he had no connection with the case and rejected the allegations.
Reddy, who is with the BJP, had previously claimed the entire Dharmasthala case was orchestrated through Senthil.
In his reaction, Reddy said he is prepared to face the case filed by the Congress MP.
Speaking to reporters in Ballari, he challenged Senthil to request a CBI and NIA probe into the case from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to prove his innocence.
"Recently, the Gangavathi MLA, on the basis of some WhatsApp message, has taken my name, accusing me of being a scriptwriter and mastermind (behind allegations against Dharmasthala). Initially, I felt -- should I respond to such childish comments?... But, daily some story is being built up," Senthil said.
Addressing media, he said, "In the public interest and my own right against defamation, I have taken action legally. I have filed a criminal defamation case against Janardhan Reddy, who had taken my name. Court has taken cognizance of it. He will be served a notice. He (Reddy) will have to come and answer to the court as to on what basis allegations were made against me," he said.
The hearing in the case will be on September 11.
He further warned that those making stories against him in connection with the case will also face criminal action.
Terming the Dharmasthala case as a coordinated effort to malign a sacred Hindu institution, Reddy had earlier also alleged that the complainant, who is from Tamil Nadu, had "close ties" with Senthil.
Responding to a question, the Congress MP said, "Allegations are being made against me stating that I'm from Tamil Nadu and he (complainant) is also from Tamil Nadu. There was also a police officer here from Tamil Nadu. He is directly in opposition to me there... I don't know why his name has not come up."
He further said, "I'm opposing rightwing politics across the country, so I resigned from my job (as IAS officer). I had mentioned it in my resignation letter too. Keeping this in mind, I feel that politically motivated allegations are being made against me..."
"Everyone knows the person who has made the allegations. He (Reddy) is someone who looted Karnataka's wealth and was sentenced to seven years in jail (in illegal mining icase). He spoiled Karnataka's name in the entire country. If we allow statements by such a person to spread it will be a problem for me."
A controversy erupted after a complainant, later identified as C N Chinnaiah and arrested on charges of perjury, claimed burying a number of bodies, including those of women with signs of sexual assault, in Dharmasthala over the past two decades, with the implications pointing towards the administrators of the local temple.
The SIT, formed by the state government, which is probing charges, has conducted excavations at multiple locations identified by the complainant in the forested areas along the banks of the Netravathi River in Dharmasthala, where some skeletal remains were found at two sites.