17 September,2020 05:46 PM IST | Mumbai | IANS
Sahara group chief Subrata Roy, File pic
A Lucknow court has restrained Indian Express (Pvt) Ltd (IEPL), its CEO, publishers and editors of the Indian Express and Jansatta newspapers, as well as a reporter, from publishing defamatory news items against the Sahara Group and its chief Subrata Roy.
The court clarified in its order that the restraint order would also be applicable to employees, agents, servants, associates or any other person associated with IEPL.
ALSO READ
SFIO probe into Sahara group of companies underway: FM Sitharaman
The rise and fall of Sahara's Subrata Roy: A tale of triumphs and legal battles
Sahara Group founder Subrata Roy passes away after battling prolonged illness
Sahara says SEBI is in contempt of court
Subrata Roy asked to appear in SC for failing to deposit Rs 25,700 cr
Passing the order, the Civil Judge (Sr Division) Malihabad, Lucknow, further said that the order would also apply on all newspapers as well as all electronic, commercial and other web portals of IEPL.
The court has also issued notice to the aforesaid respondents, seeking their reply on the civil suit on September 20.
The order came on the civil suit filed by Sahara India and others against IEPL and other respondents. In the suit, Sahara India submitted that Subrata Roy Sahara is a law-abiding person and established Sahara India in 1978. Sahara has several group companies in which lakhs of persons are employed directly or indirectly.
It was further stated that Indian Express and Jansatta Newspapers, owned by IEPL, published "several defamatory and incorrect news items" in the first and second week of September 2020.
"The news items were baseless, concocted and based on unverified facts. They adversely affected the image of Sahara India and its chief, Subrata Roy, damaging their image, goodwill and business," the suit said.
It was further stated in the suit that the news items have attacked the personal life of Subrata Roy, and this is against the journalistic norms set by the Press Council of India.
After hearing the matter, the court, prima facie, expressed that IEPL and other respondents published baseless and defamatory news items against Sahara India and its founder. The court also found that the news items did not fall into any exceptions to the defamation principle.
In its order, the court said: "After perusal of the plaint and the affidavit filed along with it, it is clear that IEPL and other respondents have been publishing defamatory news items against Sahara group of companies, affecting its image and business.
"Hence the respondents are restrained by temporary injunction till the next date of listing."
Sahara has also filed two criminal complaints against IEPL and others for publishing false and defamatory news items against Sahara and its chief.
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.
Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news
This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
