NEW DELHI: A second defamation case has been filed against Congress MP Naveen Jindal over allegations of extortion against editors of Zee News.

Even as a Delhi court has taken cognizance of a defamation complaint filed by editor of Zee News Sudhir Chaudhari against Congress MP Naveen Jindal and 16 officials of Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (JSPL), a business editor of the news channel Samir Ahluwalia has filed another defamation suit.

Metropolitan magistrate Jay Thareja has taken cognisance of the defamation complaint filed by Chaudhary.

"The cognisance of offence under section 499 (defamation) read with 34 (common intention) of the IPC is taken... Keeping in view the law laid down in the provisions of Cr PC and the judgment of the Delhi High Court, the examination of complainant and his witnesses is being proceeded with. Put up for examination of complainant and his witnesses on oath for January 7," Thareja said.

Ahluwalia has filed his defamation complaint in a different court, which will decide on 9 January whether to take cognisance of his plea.

Chaudhary, who was granted exemption from personal appearance in court earlier this week has alleged in his complaint that Jindal and JSPL officials had deliberately made false statements against him with an intention to tarnish his image.

He has said in his complaint that defamatory statements were made in an FIR lodged against him in the alleged case.

Chaudhary and Ahluwalia were arrested on 27 November on a complaint filed by Jindal?s firm alleging that they had demanded money as an advertising deal for not airing negative news reports about the firm in connection with coal block allocation scandal. Both of them were granted bail later.

MUMBAI: Not to be cowed down in the alleged Rs 1 billion extortion case, Zee group chairman Subhash Chandra Sunday said he would file a defamation case against Congress MP Naveen Jindal?s company.

Chandra, who was earlier questioned by the Delhi police for the second consecutive day, told reporters that he would cooperate with the police if they called him again. "The questioning "has ended as of now", he added.

Chandra had come along with his son Punit Goenka to the Delhi Police Crime Branch office in the afternoon for the questioning. While Goenka was allowed to leave after a short period, Chandra was grilled for hours.

Chandra said he had no knowledge about the case and came to know about it five days (7 October) after the first information report (FIR) got registered by Jindal.

"There is no Rs 100 crore deal. We haven?t been saying anything," Chandra explained. "It is an attempt to prevent news reports on the coalgate scam."

Zee editors Sudhir Chaudhury and Samir Ahluwalia, who had been remanded to two days? police custody by a court for the alleged extortion bid, were brought to the Crime Branch office last night where Chandra and his son were being questioned.

The Jindal company had alleged that the Zee group tried to extort Rs 100 crore (1 billion) in exchange of not running negative stories about the company?s alleged involvement in the coal blocks allocations controversy.

On Sunday, Chandra was brought face-to-face with Chaudhary and Ahluwalia.

Earlier on 6 December, a court had granted Chandra and Goenka interim protection against arrest till 14 December.