Jalandhar: The two Punjab ministers named in a sleaze case in Gujarat on February 22 filed two separate defamation suits for Rs 100 crore against Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

Public Works Development (PWD) Minister Pratap Singh Bajwa and Revenue and Agriculture Minister Amarjit Singh Samara, who were recently named in a sex scandal by the Ahmedabad police, filed two separate civil suits individually seeking damages to the tune of Rs 50 crore each complaining of defamation against Modi and Shah in the court of civil judge (senior division) A S Garewal.

Garewal entrusted the case to the additional civil judge (senior division). The case would come for further hearing on February 24.

Meanwhile, the hearing of criminal cases for defamation filed by Bajwa and Samara against Modi and Shah have been adjourned till February 24.

The criminal cases were put before duty magistrate Hareet Kaur in the absence of the chief judicial magistrate and the complainant sought personal exemption which was allowed for the day by the judge, who adjourned the case till February 24.

When contacted, Bajwa said the cases have been filed for defamatory statements released to the Press by Modi and Shah regarding his and Samara's involvement in "false sex scandals".

PTI