The Orion Group has filed a defamation suit seeking Tk 500 crore in compensation against Independent Television for airing "defamatory and false reports aimed at damaging the company's reputation."
The case has been filed with the 4th Joint District Judge Court, Dhaka today (Thursday), the company's lawyer Adv Arifur Rahman said. He said the court has registered the case and set the date for a hearing on its acceptance on October 10.
Those listed as defendants are Independent TV, its Editor-in-Chief and CEO M Shamsur Rahman and reporter Abdullah Al Rafi.
According to the case the Independent TV on September 13 repeatedly broadcast a misleading report alleging that Orion had embezzled funds from the government and laundered money abroad, using political connections in business, all the while failing to supply electricity from its seven power plants.
"Orion Group strongly refutes these unfounded claims. The company has always maintained full compliance with national regulations, and its Power Purchase Agreements [PPAs] align with those of over a hundred other power producers in Bangladesh.
The statement further said the allegations that Orion has misappropriated large sums through loans taken for power plant projects and transferred these funds abroad are entirely baseless.
