New Delhi, Nov 20 (IANS): Former Gujarat director general of police (DGP) R.B. Sreekumar Tuesday filed a defamation case against the BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and three others for harming his reputation by digging out a 20-year-old espionage case.

In his plea, Sreekumar urged a Delhi court to initiate proceedings against Modi, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Rajnath Singh, party spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi and scientist Nambi Narayanan for hatching a conspiracy to defame him.

According to the petition, as part of the plan, Lekhi gave an interview to a TV channel where she alleged that Sreekumar played into the hands of Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of the US but falsely implicated Nambi Narayanan in the espionage case.

Narayanan was then working as a scientist in the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, while Sreekumar was serving as deputy director in the Intelligence Bureau in Thiruvananthapuram (1992-1995).

The former Gujarat DGP said Lekhi called him "anti-national" and a "traitor" in the TV interview.

In 1994, Narayanan was implicated in an espionage case for leaking defence secrets to Maldivian intelligence officers.

However, a Central Bureau of Investigation probe found that he was innocent.

Sreekumar's plea is listed for hearing Nov 21.