In a major administrative and political face-off in West Bengal, Chief Secretary Manoj Agarwal has slapped Trinamool Congress (TMC) Member of Parliament Mahua Moitra with a legal notice over allegedly defamatory statements posted across social media platforms. The notice demands an unconditional written apology, ₹10 crore in damages for irreparable reputational harm, and ₹50,000 to cover legal and incidental expenses incurred during the proceedings.
Strict 24-Hour Ultimatum for Retraction and Future Undertaking
The legal communication outlines strict compliance terms for the Krishnanagar lawmaker following her public posts:
Takedown within 24 Hours: Moitra has been instructed to take down both controversial social media posts within 24 hours of receiving the legal notice.
Unconditional Apology: The bureaucrat has sought a formal, unconditional written apology for questioning his administrative integrity, professional stature, and constitutional conduct.
Written Undertaking: The notice further demands a legally binding written assurance that she will refrain from publishing or circulating similar defamatory assertions against him in the future.
Reputational Damage: Agarwal asserted through his counsel that the reckless statements were specifically designed to compromise his standing, taint his public reputation, and disparage his professional credentials as a senior civil servant.
Contested Allegations of Voter List Deletions
The legal conflict stems from sharp public allegations leveled by the TMC parliamentarian regarding revision drives in the state’s electoral rolls:
Moitra’s Public Charge: In her online remarks, Moitra alleged that Agarwal was directly culpable for unlawfully disenfranchising lakhs of legitimate voters across West Bengal by deleting their names from the active voter lists.
Counsel Rebuts Claims: Formally refuting the allegations, Agarwal’s legal counsel stated that the Chief Secretary neither engaged in vote theft nor orchestrated any electoral impropriety.
ECI Mandate Compliance: The lawyer highlighted that during his tenure as the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal, Agarwal executed all statutory duties with complete neutrality, adhering strictly to constitutional provisions and guidelines established by the Election Commission of India.