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A defamation notice has been sent to Nationalist Congress Party MLA Nawab Malik for willfully sharing a series of defamatory, misleading and maligning tweets implying Amruta Devandra Fadnavis's connection with drug peddlers. 

Notice has been sent on behalf of Amruta Fadnavis who is the wife of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Amruta has demanded an unconditional apology from Malik within 48 hours by conducting a press conference stating that the allegations against Amruta that had been made in his tweets and press conference are baseless, unsubstantiated, unwarranted and stand unconditionally withdrawn.

Further, asking Malik to cease and desist from making any direct or indirect statements that is defamatory to Amruta, the notice warns that in case Malik fails to do so, proceedings under Section 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 as well as any other criminal proceedings and a civil suit for defamation will be initiated against him. 

The notice reads that in one of the tweets, Malik has tried to portray and suggest that Amruta Fadnavis has a connection with one  Jaideep Rana who is allegedly a drug peddler, by sharing one image of hers with him. The caption of the said tweet reads, “चलो आज BJP और ड्र ग्स पेड्लर के रिश्तों  पे चर्चा  करते है|”

The notice further states that after sharing that tweet, Malik held a press conference to defame Amruta Fadnavis by making false and baseless allegations that Rana is associated with Amruta Fadnavis and attached that video link in another tweet. 

The notice alleges that Malik's defamatory tweets have resulted in tarnishing the image of Devendra Fadanvis, who is the present Leader of Opposition of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, and his family in public at large.

In the notice, it has been averred that Malik has made those allegations only to gain cheap political milage and with sole intention to divert the attention of public from the misrule and failure of the ruling government and the action taken by central agencies against the drug menace.

It has also been stated that the photo that Malik has tweeted implying a connection between Rana and Amruta was clicked during an event, which took place 4 years back and was organised in Mumbai for the conservation of rivers.

Amruta, who is also a singer, was associated with the organizers of the event, a social group named as ‘River March’. As per the notice, 'River March' has also clarified that Rana was hired by them as financial head of the event and song.

The notice reads that Amruta just sang a song for the cause and neither Amruta nor her family had any association with Rana. 

In the notice, Amruta's lawyer has contended that that merely having a picture together does not mean that the persons are associated with them. It has also been alleged that Malik has consciously and selectively shared the pictures of only Amruta with Rana whereas during the event Amruta's photographs with the entire team were also taken. 

Calling Malik's tweets defamatory and false, Amruta's counsel has averred that those tweets have been published intentionally with the malafide intention to distort her image and have also caused prejudice in the mind of the people against her and her family by creating an impression that she is associated with drugs peddlers.

Stating as abovementioned, through this notice, Amruta has called upon Malik to immediately delete the said defamatory tweets from his Twitter handle.