Dhaka, Sep 19 (V7N) – Orion Group has filed a defamation lawsuit seeking Tk 500 crore in damages against Independent Television, accusing the channel of airing "defamatory and false reports aimed at damaging the company's reputation."

The lawsuit was submitted to the 4th Joint District Judge Court in Dhaka today, according to Advocate Arifur Rahman, the company’s lawyer. The court has accepted the case and scheduled a hearing on October 10 for its review.

Those named in the lawsuit include Independent TV's Editor-in-Chief and CEO, M Shamsur Rahman, and reporter Abdullah Al Rafi.

In its official statement, Orion Group refuted claims aired by Independent TV on September 13, which alleged that the company had embezzled government funds, laundered money abroad, and used political influence in its business dealings. The report also accused Orion of failing to deliver electricity from its seven power plants.

Orion responded that these allegations are entirely baseless, emphasizing its adherence to national regulations and denying any misuse of funds. Since 2011, Orion has supplied 16.9 billion kWh of electricity to the national grid from six operational power plants, it said.

The company also denied any involvement in money laundering, stating that all investments and funds are fully allocated within Bangladesh, with no foreign transfers. Orion further clarified that its power plant projects were financed through a combination of internal funds and local and international loans, which have been repaid on time.

Orion claims that the misleading report has caused significant damage to its business and reputation, prompting the legal action for Tk 500 crore in compensation.

The group also denied allegations regarding ownership of foreign companies from Dubai and China, reiterating that the accusations lack evidence and proper fact-checking.

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