Sandip Ssingh, a friend of late Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput, has sent a legal notice to Republic TV and its editor-in-chief, Arnab Goswami for alleged defamation and has claimed Rs 200 crores as compensation.
Announcing the move on social media, Ssingh has claimed that the news channel has sent several messages to Ssingh with "criminal intent" and intent to extort.
The legal notice states that Ssingh was termed as a "key conspirator" and "murderer" by Republic TV and its editor-in-chief.
Ssingh has alleged that one of the officials from the news channel had got in touch with Singh and had told him that unless he agrees to "financially benefit the channel", the news will be aired against him.
This was "proven to be correct", the notice states, as the channel carried on making slanderous reports against Ssingh.
The notice has highlighted a series of programs carried by Republic TV which are stated to have defamed Ssingh.
The notice points out that in one media segment, a panellist had stated that Ssingh "insisted that the ambulance" carrying Rajput's body "will go to Cooper hospital" and that Sandeep Ssingh's PR had clicked a picture to spread in the media.
It has been further been averred that false allegations were levelled against Ssingh to suggest that he did not want any CBI probe into the death case of Rajput. The legal notice recounts that Republic ran a campaign with the hashtag #ArrestSandeepSsingh.
Ssingh has further registered an objection to the channel's statement that he wanted to "run away to UK" to escape investigation.
Ssingh claims that from August 22 to August 24, correspondents from Republic TV tried to enter his residence and harassed "security guards" and "domestic helpers" and that they have defamed the image of Ssingh.
The notice sent through Advocate Rajesh Kumar states that the channel's actions amounts to defamation under Section 499 of the Indian Penal Code, which is punishable under Section 500 of the Code.
The notice has asked for the channel to remove all malicious footage, articles and reports about Ssingh and to tender an apology, which should include true facts about Ssingh's integrity.
Ssingh has also demanded the payment of Rs 200 crores as compensation from Republic TV. If he notice is not adhered to within 15 days, Ssingh has informed that proceedings would be filed in court seeking damages for defamation.