Scania Bus Row: Nitin Gadkari slaps defamation notice on two foreign media firms

Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari has slapped defamation notice on two foreign broadcasters following news report carried by them alleging that bus maker Scania gifted a luxury bus to firms linked to his close relatives.

Confirming the development, a source said, "The notices have have been served a short while back."

The two media houses are Sweden's Sveriges Television and Germany's ZDF. According to Reuters, the reports carried by them earlier this week alleged that Scania delivered a luxury bus to a company linked to Gadkari's son as quid pro quo for bagging supply contracts in India.

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According to the reports, the "gifted bus" was allegedly intended to be used in Gadkari's daughter's marriage in 2016.

Gadkari's office issued a statement on Wednesday evening calling the allegations malicious and baseless.

"The media allegations that in November 2016, Scania delivered a luxury bus to a company that had close ties with Gadkari's sons are malicious, fabricated and baseless," the statement said.

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