Legal notice sent to UDP MDC for defaming lawyer
SHILLONG: UDP MDC H.S Shylla has been served with a legal notice for allegedly defaming the counsel of KHADC Sabatini Nongbri.
According to the notice, Shylla had questioned the competency of the KHADC legal counsel during a public meeting held at Laitkor in February last.
The advocate, who served the legal notice recently on behalf of Nongbri, asked Shylla to pay Rs 1 crore and tender public apology failing which legal proceedings would be initiated against him for defamation.
As per the notice issued to Shylla, on February 7 in the public meeting held at Laitkor, while commenting on the issues related to MUDA’s encroachment to rural areas, Shylla had questioned the qualifications of KHADC counsel. The open public meeting was attended by over 3000 people and the criticism of the counsel was irrelevant to the issues for which the public meeting was called, the notice observed.
As far as MUDA issues are concerned, the KHADC had already appointed another legal counsel to take up the matter before the High Court of Meghalaya, the notice said.
“Nongbri is a legal practitioner of repute practicing in Meghalaya for the last 6 years and currently practicing in the High Court of Meghalaya and a legal counsel of KHADC since 2014. The expertise and qualification of Nongbri was questioned by Shylla by stating that she was under-qualified with only three years of experience and not fit to stand up as legal counsel of the KHADC and that the KHADC had lost many cases against governmental and private bodies and individuals. Making statements that Nongbri was always blamed and shouted at before the High Court because the counsel has just started practicing has degraded the morale, character and image of the lawyer,” the notice said.
“The statements made by Shylla were recorded, published and shown in the local news channel which have adversely hampered and affected my client mentally,” the notice added.
