PPE Kit Row: Himanta Biswa Sarma files defamation case against Manish Sisodia

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has filed a defamation case against Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia over his allegations of giving contracts for Covid Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).Sisodia had alleged that Sarma awarded a contract for PPE kits to a company linked to his wife when Sarma was the Health Minister of Assam.

Earlier, Sarma's wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, had already filed a Rs 100 crore civil defamation case against the Delhi minister.

Last month, Sisodia had said that Himanta Biswa Sarma awarded the contract to his wife's company and claimed that he even had the documents to prove so.

Sisodia had alleged that Biswa Sarma paid Rs 990 for the PPE kits while others were purchased at Rs 600 a piece from another company on the same day.

In response, Sarma, refuting the allegations of “malpractice”, said that Sisodia would face criminal defamation.

It needs mention here that media organizations 'The Wire' and Guwahati-based 'The Crosscurrent' jointly compiled a report wherein it was alleged that the Assam government had placed four COVID-19 related emergency medical supply orders with firms linked to Riniki Bhuyan Sarma. This prompted the Assam unit of the Congress to demand a CBI probe.