Thiruvananthapuram: Former minister and CPM central committee member Thomas Isaac has sent a defamation notice to Chennai businessman Mohammed Sharshad after the CPM letter controversy put the party on the defensive.

The notice says Sharshad’s claim that Isaac is a benami of London-based CPM member Rajesh Krishnan has harmed his reputation. It asks for the remark to be withdrawn within a week, a public apology, and Rs 1 crore in damages. The notice also demands that the allegation be removed from social media.

Earlier warning

Isaac had earlier warned that if Sharshad did not take back his allegations linking him with Rajesh Krishnan, legal action would follow.

“If not withdrawn and no apology is made, strict action will be taken. This is not something that will be passed without action,” Isaac had said.

Calling the allegations “completely baseless,” Isaac said he could not ignore them. When asked if he knew Rajesh Krishnan, Isaac replied, “Yes.” He explained that he had helped people in the past, including avoiding house attachment, and always tried to support those seeking help.

The letter

The issue began with a letter written by Sharshad to the CPM Politbureau against UK-based businessman and CPM member Rajesh Krishnan. In the letter, Krishnan was alleged to be a benami of leaders including MB Rajesh, Thomas Isaac, and P Sreeramakrishnan.