VANCOUVER, B.C. (CN) - Ripudaman Singh Malik, who was acquitted of planning the 1982 Air India bombing, claims a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reporter defamed him in an online article accusing Malik of being "responsible for or criminally associated with the Air India bombing."
In his complaint in British Columbia Supreme Court, Malik claims veteran CBC reporter Terry Milewski wrote an April 22 article that allegedly falsely accused him of being a "founder-member, and financier, of the Babbar Khalsa terrorist groups which blew up Air India."
Malik says that's not true.
"The plaintiff was not a founder-member of the Babbar Khalsa," the complaint states. "The plaintiff was never a financier of the Babbar Khalsa."
Malik claims he "has never been a member of the Babbar Khalsa. In the alternative, he may have been a member of the Babbar Khalsa in 1984 but has never been a member since."
Malik claims that Milewski "knew or ought to have known that by publishing the article that he was doing so dishonestly and recklessly with a callous disregard for the truth and with an intent to harm the reputation of the plaintiff."
He demands damages for defamation, and costs.
Malik is a Sikh and "is a director of the Satnam Education Society of British Columbia which operates four Khalsa school campuses that comprise the largest private school in the province of British Columbia," according to the complaint.
He is represented by his son, attorney Jaspreet Malik.
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