Rs.100 Crore Fine on Times Now news channel in a defamation case as damages

Rs.100 Crore Fine on Times Now news channel in a defamation case as damages

Normally Politicians in India file the defamation cases against the news channels but this time judge has filed the case against Times Now.

Rs.100 Crore fine as damages it is the highest defamation suit in the country.
Broadcast Editors' Association (BEA) said it would discuss the matter and seek legal opinion since the issue had implications for all TV journalists.



Time Line of Defamation Suit Times Now


September 2008

While reporting a provident fund scam Times Now had, by mistake, displayed Justice P B Sawant’s image for 15 seconds. The report alleged that several judges were involved in the scam.
The channel had run Justice (retd) P B Sawant's picture instead of another judge in connection with the Provident Fund scam.

After that for 5 days Times Now had shown the apology or regret in a scroll news but it did not satisfy Justice Sawant.

Justice Sawant sent the legal notice to the Times Now.

After that Pune District Court found Times Now guilty and ordered it to pay Rs. 100 crore.

Then Times Now filed an appeal appealed against the Pune District Court order in the Bombay High Court, Bombay High Court ordered Times Now to deposit Rs. 20 Crore and furnish bank guarantee for the balance.

After this Times Now filed appeal in Supreme Court against this order and Supreme Court rejected the appeal and told the Times Now to go to High Court and Pay.

In India, defamation is an offence punishable under section 500 of the IPC with imprisonment for a period of 2 years and/ or fine.

Which Section is used against Bloggers –
Sec 66A of the Information Technology Act, 2000 makes defamation though internet and other electronic means punishable with 3 years’ imprisonment and/ or fine.

Media TV channels also used the defamation law against bloggers.
Chyetanya Kunte, a blogger criticized NDTV’s coverage of 26/11 terrorist attack in Mumbai as shoddy journalism he got a defamation notice from Barkha Dutt.

India needs to reform defamation law also.
We need to scrap criminal punishments for the defamation and there should be only civil suits and fines.

Times Now has to pay huge amount but the main question is

if same happens with the common man will he get the damages of Rs. 100 Crore ?

Reality views by sm –

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Tags – Times Now Fine 100 Crore Defamation Suit Damages Time Line