A Delhi court has issued summons to Times Now in a civil defamation suit filed by the Popular Front of India (PFI) alleging false reporting and damage to goodwill [PFI v Times Global Broadcasting Co Ltd (Times Now) and Ors], Bar and Bench reported.
Chitranshi Arora, civil judge South East Saket Court passed the order issuing summons and the matter has now been posted for further hearing on March 3.
In the plea, PFI said that the Times Now had published a new article with the headline “RSS worker Sanjith’s murder: Kerala Police arrest PFI officer bearer” in November 2021 on its website. It also ran news on the same lines where the anchor further alleged that a PFI worker was arrested in connection with the said murder.
The petitioner argued that the news telecast has made false and frivolous accusations against them with the intent to provoke people and cause prejudice to their name, goodwill and image by making slanderous statements.
“It is submitted that the plaintiff has no link with the persons allegedly arrested in the said RSS Workers’ murder case and the alleged persons arrested in the case, are not members/officer bearer of the PFI nor do they have any concern or relation of whatsoever nature with the said persons…”
The plaintiff further added in the plea that they have no connection, concern or relation whatsoever with the alleged persons arrested in connection with the murder of an RSS worker. “It is evident from the fact that police officials have stated that the details of the suspect can not be revealed because the arrest has been made on the basis of eye witness and it could affect the further investigation,” it read.
The news reporting made by the defendants is false, the PFI wrote in the pelas adding that “it is also fabricated and concocted with the sole intention to malign and defame the plaintiff.”
Therefore PFI sought damages to the tune of ₹1 lakh and permanent injunction restraining Times Now from publishing or telecasting any news that tarnishes or defames their name.
The plaintiff also sought a direction to the news network to delete the news report from its website.
Advocate Shakeel Abbas is representing the Popular Front of India.
(Inputs from Bar and Bench)
