Karnataka High Court
Neekunj Todi vs Sri.R. J Prakashan on 11 October, 2023
Bench: Chief Justice, Krishna S Dixit
-1-
NC: 2023:KHC:37099-DB
CCC No. 353 of 2023
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU
DATED THIS THE 11TH DAY OF OCTOBER, 2023
PRESENT
THE HON'BLE MR. PRASANNA B. VARALE, CHIEF JUSTICE
AND
THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE KRISHNA S DIXIT
CCC NO. 353 OF 2023 (CIVIL)
BETWEEN:
1. NEEKUNJ TODI
S/O PRAHALAD AGARWALA
AGED ABOUT 40 YEARS
FLAT NO. C 304, THIRD FLOOR
MANTRI GREENS, NO.1
SAMPIGE ROAD, MALLESWARAM
BENGALURU -560003.
2. NAFISA USMANI
Digitally signed W/O NEEKUNJ TODI
by AMBIKA H B AGED ABOUT 40 YEARS
Location: HIGH FLAT NO.C 304, THIRD FLOOR
COURT OF
KARNATAKA MANTRI GREENS, NO.1
SAMPIGE ROAD, MALLESWARAM
BENGALURU -560003.
...COMPLAINANTS
(BY SRI RAVISHANKAR S FOR SRI GANGADHARAIAH A N,
ADVOCATE)
-2-
NC: 2023:KHC:37099-DB
CCC No. 353 of 2023
AND:
1. SRI R.J PRAKASHAN
THE CHIEF MANAGER/GRIEVANCE OFFICER
CORPORATE LEGAL (SOUTH)
TIMES INTERNET LIMITED
NO.40/1, S & B TOWNSHIP
M.G. ROAD
BENGALURU-560001.
ALSO AT
PLOT NO.391, UDYOG VIHAR,
PHASE-III
GURGAON, HARYANA-122016
INDIA
2. SRI RAJESH KUMAR
EXECUTIVE EDITOR/GRIEVANCE OFFICER
NEW INDIAN EXPRESSS
EXPRESS GARDENS
NO.29, 2ND MAIN ROAD
AMBATTUR INDUSTRIAL ESTATE
CHENNAI-600058
3. BAGESREE S
GRIEVANCE OFFICER
THE HINDU PUBLISHING
PRIVATE LIMITED
KASTURI BUILDINGS
NO. 859 & 860, ANNA SALAI
CHENNAI-600002.
4. BRAIN DAVID ASHOK FERNANDES
GRIEVANCE OFFICER
NEWS KARNATAKA,
-3-
NC: 2023:KHC:37099-DB
CCC No. 353 of 2023
UNIT NO. 2201A, 22ND FLOOR, WTC
BRIGADE GATEWAY
RAJAJINAGAR EXTENSION
MALLESWARAM, BENGALURU-560055.
5. MR SUSHANT SINHA
THE CEO
INDIA KANOON
WWW.INDIANKANOON.ORG
NO.724, FIRST FLOOR, 9TH CROSS
10TH MAIN ROAD, INDIRANAGAR
BENGALURU -560038.
...ACCUSED
(BY SRI RAJESWARA P N, ADVOCATE FOR A1;
SRI MANMOHAN P N, ADVOCATE FOR A2;
SRI C K DHARANEESWARAN, ADVOCATE FOR A3;
SRI VEDANTH ANAND CHUGH, ADVOCATE FOR A5 )
THIS CCC IS FILED UNDER SECTIONS 11 AND 12 OF
THE CONTEMPT OF COURTS ACT, 1971, PRAYING TO TAKE
COGNIZANCE OF THE CONTEMPTUOUS ACTS COMMITTED BY
ACCUSED NOS.1 TO 5 FOR DISOBEYING THE INTERIM ORDER
PASSED BY THE HON'BLE SINGLE JUDGE IN WP
NO.12596/2022 DATED 3.8.2022 AND PUNISH THEM WITH
IMPRISONMENT ALONG WITH PENALTY.
THIS CCC COMING ON FOR ORDERS THIS DAY, THE
CHIEF JUSTICE MADE THE FOLLOWING:
-4-
NC: 2023:KHC:37099-DB
CCC No. 353 of 2023
ORDER
The grievance of the complainants is that in spite of the interim order dated 03.08.2022 passed by the learned Single Judge directing the accused to delete the defamatory news articles, news videos and comments pertaining to the complainants from the websites of the accused and also to block the same from being accessed on search engines, even as of today, the accused have not complied with the said order.
2. In response to the notice by this Court, the accused have filed their respective replies. The learned counsel appearing for accused Nos.1, 2 and 3 in chorus submit that the said accused have complied with the interim order passed by the learned Single Judge. The learned counsel appearing for accused No.5 also submits that accused No.5-Indian Kanoon has already deleted the bail order passed in Crl.P.No.5642/2014 (produced as Annexure-A to the writ petition) and as such, accused No.5 has not committed any willful disobedience of the interim order passed by the learned Single Judge.
-5-
NC: 2023:KHC:37099-DB CCC No. 353 of 2023 In view of the above submissions made by the learned counsel for the accused, it can safely be said that the interim order passed by the learned Singe Judge has been duly complied with by the accused and the grievance raised in the present contempt petition no more survives. Accordingly, the contempt petition is disposed of. Notice stands discharged.
Sd/-
CHIEF JUSTICE Sd/-
JUDGE KPS List No.: 1 Sl No.: 26