7 hrs ago
NGO Withdraws Delhi Plea Seeking Damages From BBC
A Gujarat-based NGO called Justice On Trial had sued the BBC.
It wanted Rs 10,000 crore in damages over a documentary about Narendra Modi.
The NGO said the documentary made false and harmful claims about the prime minister, Indian institutions and the country.
The documentary discussed the 2002 Gujarat riots.
The Delhi High Court had earlier sent notices to the BBC’s UK and India operations.
On September 3, the NGO asked to withdraw its case.
Justice Tushar Rao Gedela allowed the withdrawal.
The court also said the NGO could file a new case about the same issue.
The government had described the documentary as propaganda and ordered some online posts sharing it to be blocked.
Justice On Trial withdrew its Delhi High Court suit seeking Rs 10,000 crore from the BBC.
The NGO alleged that the documentary “India: The Modi Question” defamed Narendra Modi, Indian institutions and India’s reputation.
Justice Tushar Rao Gedela allowed the suit and Indigent Person Application to be withdrawn on September 3.
The court granted the NGO permission to file a fresh suit over the same cause of action.
The documentary covered the 2002 Gujarat riots and was broadcast in two parts in January 2023; the government later blocked related online content.
- Who
- Justice On Trial, the British Broadcasting Corporation, and the Delhi High Court; the case involved allegations concerning Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indian institutions.
- What
- Justice On Trial withdrew a suit seeking Rs 10,000 crore in damages from the BBC over “India: The Modi Question.”
- Where
- The proceedings took place in the Delhi High Court in New Delhi and concerned a documentary about the 2002 Gujarat riots.
- When
- The Delhi High Court passed the withdrawal order on September 3; the reports were published on September 7.
- Why
- The NGO alleged that the documentary contained false and defamatory claims that harmed the reputation and goodwill of Narendra Modi, Indian governments, the judiciary and the people of India.
Key facts
- Petitioner
- Justice On Trial, a Gujarat-based NGO
- Respondents
- BBC (UK) and BBC (India)
- Damages sought
- Rs 10,000 crore
- Documentary
- “India: The Modi Question”
- Broadcast
- Two episodes aired in January 2023
- Court action
- The Delhi High Court dismissed the Indigent Person Application and suit as withdrawn
- Future filing
- The NGO received permission to file a fresh suit for the same cause of action
- Government response
- The Ministry of External Affairs described the documentary as a propaganda piece lacking objectivity and reflecting a colonial mindset
Quotes
Justice Tushar Rao Gedela
Delhi High Court judge who permitted withdrawal of the NGO’s application and suit
“Accordingly, the I.P.A. 1/2023 alongwith the suit is dismissed as withdrawn with liberty so sought, granted”
deccanchronicle.com
theprint.in
Sources
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