Mahajan was personally present in the court along with his lawyer this afternoon to file the case against the printer, publisher and editor of Mahanagar for publishing a front-page article in the newspaper on January 14 this year.

Titled ``Charged by ex-treasurer -- Use of black money on the rise in BJP,'' the article, written by an unnamed Mahanagar representative, had alleged that Mahajan had bought a flat worth Rs 3 crore at Parekh Mahal building in Churchgate, and was also helped by the father of Minister of State Prakash Mehta for finalising a deal for a hotel in the Panchgani farmhouse of underworld don Iqbal Mirchi. Along with the article, a picture of Parekh Mahal was also carried, with a picture of Mahajan as inset.

The article was based on documented allegations made byformer BJP treasurer and ex-MLA Vinod Gupta. Reportedly, Gupta had earlier sent letters to Atal Behari Vajpayee, BJP's Mumbai unit chief Kirit Somaiya and Mahajan, expressing regret over the use of black money in BJP.