Delhi court summons Sudarshan TV anchor, others in defamation case

New Delhi: A court here has summoned Sudharshan TV - its managing editor and five others, saying there was a "prima facie" case of defamation against them.

Judicial magistrate Kartik Taparia was hearing the complaint filed by a man called Mohammed Tufail Khan, claiming defamation by Sudharshan TV, its director and the channel's news anchor and managing director Suresh Chavhanke.

The complaint also claimed defamation against an Islamic scholar, two people who made false and derogatory accusations against Khan in their interview with the TV channel and another person who had barged inside Khan's residence and called him by a derogatory name.

According to the complaint, Khan was running an NGO and Madarsa named 'Jamia Arabia Nizami Welfare Educational Society', which provided shelter, food and education to around 70 orphans.

It alleged that the first accused, Mufti Wajahat Qasim, an Islamic scholar, posted defamatory content regarding the NGO on a social media platform in August 2022 and also made a false and derogatory statement on a national news channel the next month against him.

The second accused, who resided in Khan's locality, barged into his residence and defamed him by using a pejorative term in front of several people, the complaint said.

It said that on April 12, 2023, and on April 24, Sudarshan TV telecasted programmes, where false and derogatory statements were made by two more accused persons.

In the order dated October 19, the judge said, "I have seen the videos, the links of which are provided by the complainant in the complaint. I have also gone through the transcripts of the interview as provided by the complainant.

"From the material placed on record and the pre-summoning evidence led by the complainant, it prima facie appears that the tweet published by accused no.1, the act of accused no. 2…, and the interviews (given by three accused)… are prima facie defamatory," the judge said.

The judge further said he had watched the alleged defamatory videos and its thumbnails and was satisfied that there was a "prima facie" case against Sudarshan TV, its anchor and MD and its director.

"Hence, I am satisfied that there is sufficient material to summon the accused persons under sections 500 (punishment for defamation) and 501 (printing or engraving material known to be defamatory) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Issue summons to all the accused persons…,” the judge said.

The matter has been posted on January 31 for further proceedings.