REGION Five Alliance For Change (AFC) Councillor Abel Seetaram is threatening to sue online media outfit NEWSROOM for allegedly “spreading false and libellous information about him.”
In a statement to the media, Seetaram said that Newsroom had published an article which said he was taken into police custody to assist law-enforcement officers with their investigation into a fraud which reportedly occurred at the Mahaicony -Abary Rice Development Scheme (MARDS) at Burma, Mahaicony.
Newsroom reported on March 23 that Seetaram and Carol Joseph, both of whom are coalition councillrs within Region Five, were taken into police custody for questioning in relation to allegations of fraud at MARDS.
Additionally, NEWSROOM published photographs of the duo under the headline: “APNU/AFC Councillors arrested for million dollar fraud at MARDS” and noted in the online article that both Seetaram and Joseph were released on station bail from the Mahaicony Police Station and were asked to return on a specific date.
Meanwhile, in a vexed response on Friday, Seetaram stated he was never arrested or placed on bail by the police in relation to any matter engaging the attention of the police.
He stated: “I will like to clearly state that the information carried on an online news outfit NEWSROOM on March 23rd, 2017, is totally misleading and untrue and I consider the lies very damaging to my reputation as a Councillor and a citizen.”
He called on the management of the online news outfit to immediately retract what he deems to be a damaging and libellous report against him. He is also demanding that a public apology be made within 24 hours or he will take legal action against the entity.