Delhi High Court
Indian Potash Ltd. vs Media Contents And Communication ... on 2 May, 2019
Equivalent citations: AIR 2020 (NOC) 244 (DEL.), AIRONLINE 2019 DEL 615
Author: Rajiv Sahai Endlaw
Bench: Rajiv Sahai Endlaw
* IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI
% Date of decision: 2nd May, 2019
10th April, 2019
+ CS(OS) No.1717/2007
INDIAN POTASH LTD. ..... Plaintiff
Through: Mr. Sudhir K. Makkar, Sr. Adv. with
Ms. Meenakshi Singh, Ms. Saumya
Gupta & Mr. Abhishek Chaudhary,
Advs.
Versus
MEDIA CONTENTS AND COMMUNICATION SERVICES
(INDIA) PVT. LTD. & ANR. ...Respondents
Through: Mr. Ajay Kapur, Sr. Adv. with Mr.
Saurabh Seth, Mr. Davesh Bhatia &
Mr. Kamal Taneja, Advs.
CORAM:
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE RAJIV SAHAI ENDLAW
1. The plaintiff has sued the defendants Media Contents &
Communication Services (India) Pvt. Ltd and The Editor, Star News for
recovery of damages of Rs.11 crores for defamation, pleading that (i) the
plaintiff is a joint sector company under the administrative control of the
Department of Fertilizers, Union Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers; (ii)
over 90% of the equity of the plaintiff company is held by government
funded State Cooperative ventures and Public Sector Companies; (iii) the
plaintiff is primarily engaged in the business of marketing and sale
promotion of Potassic and Non-Potassic fertilizers and their distribution,
besides owning a dairy division and cattle feed plant; (iv) the defendants
telecast on Star News channel, on 27th April, 2007 and 28th April, 2007
regarding sale of adulterated / synthetic milk in western UP; in the said
CS(OS) No.1717/2007 Page 1 of 37
telecast the name of the plaintiff was sought to be linked with the sale of
adulterated / synthetic milk in Western UP; (v) the news feature imputed
that officers of the plaintiff were associated with sale of adulterated /
synthetic milk; (vi) only a fleeting appearance of Mr. A.K. Shrivastav, a
non-executive level employee of the plaintiff in the Quality Control
Department of the plaintiff was shown in the programme; (vii) though none
of the senior management of the plaintiff saw the telecast but the same was
brought to the notice of the plaintiff company through friends and well
wishers of senior management of the plaintiff company; (vi) the telecast by
the defendants is a glaring example of irresponsible journalism oriented to
sensationalize issues without verifying the authenticity of the report; (viii)
"the news feature appears to be motivated with extraneous considerations";
(ix) in the telecast, no presence of any chemical substance, in the
production plant of the plaintiff at Sikandrabad, UP or the packaging
section of the plaintiff in Kundli, Haryana where the milk is actually
packed, is shown; (x) there was no material whatsoever to link the plaintiff
or to prove association of the plaintiff with the production or sale of
adulterated / synthetic milk; (xi) the plaintiff does not source any milk
either from Hapur or Meerut, which were the places mentioned in the story
telecast by the defendants as the centres for production and sale of
adulterated / synthetic milk; (xii) the telecast imputes sale by the plaintiff of
adulterated / synthetic milk in Karol Bagh, Rajouri Garden and in other
areas of West Delhi; (xiii) the plaintiff does not sell any milk in retail at all
and supplies milk only to top institutions of the country who have their own
independent quality checks and control in respect of packaged milk; (xiv)
no verification of the imputations made against the plaintiff was made from
CS(OS) No.1717/2007 Page 2 of 37
the plaintiff; (xv) no person has made any complaint in respect of the milk
produced by the plaintiff since no person gets the milk produced by the
plaintiff or consumes the same; (xvi) the telecast "has had the effect of
lowering the esteem of the plaintiff in the eyes of the general public. The
loss to the reputation of the plaintiff and constituents of the plaintiff most of
whom are Multi-State Co-operatives is incalculable as the plaintiff built the
said reputation over decades of undaunted efforts in the field of agriculture
and fertilizers and by observing and upholding the high business standards
and commercial practices in its dealings"; (xvii) "the programme telecast by
the defendants has caused the irreversible damage to the reputation of the
plaintiff and has adversely effected the business prospects of the plaintiff as
the reputation of the plaintiff has definitely been lowered in the eyes of
general public and it may take several years for the plaintiff to salvage the
damage to its reputation and redeem the faith of the general public"; (xviii)
"the plaintiff submits that in the story telecast by the defendants which was
of 45 minutes of duration less than one minute was devoted to the
conversation with Mr. A.K. Shrivastav, the employee of the plaintiff
company and the fleeting appearance of the junior level employee does not
in any manner reveal the involvement of the plaintiff company or show that
it had any role to play in the production or sale of adulterated / synthetic
milk in western U.P."; (xix) "the programme run by the defendants was
stage managed in order to tarnish the reputation of the plaintiff company
and lower its esteem in the eyes of the general public"; and, (xx) the
Managing Director of the plaintiff, vide e-mail dated 28th April, 2007 and
communication dated 1st May, 2007 informed the defendants that the
plaintiff had no role in the production or sale of adulterated/synthetic milk
CS(OS) No.1717/2007 Page 3 of 37
and was ready and willing to work with the defendants to prevent the
production and sale of adulterated / synthetic milk.
2. The suit was entertained and summons thereof ordered to be issued.
3. The defendants have defended the suit pleading that, (a) on receipt of
information, the defendants verify the version of both sides and cover the
same fairly in their news report; (b) for a case of defamation to be made out
qua defendants engaged in the business of reporting news items and
features, the plaintiff must make specific averments that the defendants
have failed in the test applicable to them; (c) the pleadings in paras „B‟ and
„C‟ of the Preliminary Submissions are as under:
"B. That the plaintiff has failed to take note of the fact that the
news story sought to be impugned by the Plaintiff was based
upon the version given by Mr. A.K. Srivastava working at the
Plaintiff company‟s Quality Control Department who had
revealed that chemicals were being added as preservatives to the
outsourced milk at the Plaintiff‟s Sikandrabad unit. That the
Plaintiff‟s said employee further went on to state that urea,
synthetic powder, detergents and like substances were also mixed
to "adulterate" the milk. That further, two of the Plaintiff‟s
employees categorically make statements in the CD supplied by
the Plaintiff as regards the irregularities in the procurement
process of milk as also qua the irregularities during the time
when the tankers filled with milk are cleared and by their own
admission they have permitted and perpetuated milk adulteration.
CS(OS) No.1717/2007 Page 4 of 37
C. That interestingly, the CD provided by the Plaintiff itself
shows one Mr. Balakrishna who, at the time of the story was
working as a Laboratory Assistant with the Plaintiff and
categorically stated that there are no checks done for the
detection of synthetic milk. He further goes on to state that in
case the milk crosses permissible levels of adulteration, hydrogen
and caustic is put in to cover the same so that it is not caught in
the sample testing. Mr. Balakrishna further goes on to state in
the meeting with him that the milk tankers received by the
Plaintiff Company come with prior clearance due to the illegal
nexus between them and the suppliers and no further checking is
carried out by the Plaintiff Company. He also stated that the GM
as also the other officers were involved in the nexus and took
percentages. Mr. Balakrishana and a Mr. Dhiraj and Mr. Ranvir,
further went on to state that milk never goes waste even if it is
spoilt, sour or curdled since it is mixed with fresh milk and
chilled, after which chemicals are added to it, so that the spoilt
milk is not detected. It was also their own version that fertilizers,
grass-fodder, urea, chemicals, synthetics, dalda, oil, maltose,
alcohol, water, essence, tasla and safedi are mixed with milk in
order to pass off spoilt and rotten milk as good milk. It was
further stated that the said spoilt milk is then sold to known
dairies like „Mother Diary‟ and in case the milk is so spoilt that it
cannot pass off there, then it is sold to brands like „Parag‟. It was
further stated that even spoilt and spurious milk when mixed with
chemicals becomes fresh milk. It has further been stated that
CS(OS) No.1717/2007 Page 5 of 37
accordingly, if the spoilt milk is so bad that it cannot be sold as A
Grade milk, it is then disposed off as D Grade milk from which
milk powder is made. It was also stated that spoilt milk, sour
milk, tarter milk and non-consumable synthetic milk is easily
passed off for making milk powder. Interestingly, they go on to
state that stocks are not rejected at all and milk has not been
rejected anywhere till date, no matter how bad the stock is, firstly
due to the nexus and secondly, due to the chemicals used which
turn completely sour and rotten milk to look like fresh milk. The
justification for the same was stated to be that since the demand
for the milk is much more than the supply, the shortage is met by
purchasing rotten milk and mixing it with good milk as also
safedi whereby the volume and the gravity of the milk is
artificially increased. It was stated that by adding safedi to one
litre of good milk, 15 litres of milk are produced which is then
sold in the market without any such knowledge thereof to the
consumers who unsuspectingly purchase it as and for the price of
fresh milk",
(d) the story was telecast not with the specific intention to defame the
plaintiff but to bring to the scrutiny of the public at large the malpractices
and lapses on the part of the Quality Control Departments of the whole
dairy industry in the region; (e) the story cannot be termed as defamatory as
it was carried in good faith and for public good and is covered & protected
by First, Second, Third and Ninth exception to Section 500 of Indian Penal
Code, 1860; (f) the defendants rely upon fair comment and truth as a
CS(OS) No.1717/2007 Page 6 of 37
defence; (g) the suit interfers with the media‟s rights under Articles 19(1)(a)
and 19(1)(g) and Article 21 of the Constitution of India and the right to
information of the people; reliance is placed on Jawaharlal Darda Vs.
Manoharrao Ganpatrao Kapsikar (1998) 4 SCC 112, Mother Dairy Foods
& Processing Ltd. Vs. Zee Telefilms Ltd. AIR 2005 Del 195 and
Khushwant Singh Vs. Menaka Gandhi AIR 2002 Del 58; (h) the
defendants carry news stories on their channel "Star News", only after
satisfying themselves regarding the authenticity and credibility of the
reportage and the same is carried out in good faith, for the information of
the public at large and is not motivated in any manner; (i) the entire telecast
and its transcript has to be seen as a whole to see whether a case for
defamation is made out; (j) the telecast was not intended to defame any
particular individual; (k) the defendants, vide their letter dated 18th
September, 2007 in response to the letter dated 24 th May, 2007 of the
plaintiff had informed the plaintiff so but the plaintiff has still brought the
present suit; (l) after clear interrogations and getting authentic report from
the field officers of the plaintiff company, the defendants were under no
obligation to discuss or verify them with the higher officials or senior
management of the plaintiff company who would have merely denied the
same and attempted to destroy all evidence of adulteration from the
company premises before the telecast; (m) it was the plaintiff‟s own
officials who gave information, explained and showed the process of large
scale adulteration to the reporters of the defendants; and, (n) the plaintiff
has not given any particulars of the damage suffered.
CS(OS) No.1717/2007 Page 7 of 37
4. Though a replication is found to have been filed by the plaintiff but
only of denial of averments in the written statement and reiteration of
contents of the plaint. It may however be mentioned that in response to para
C of preliminary submissions in written statement of the defendants naming
Balakrishna, Dhiraj and Ranvir, employees of the plaintiff, the plaintiff
stated "It is denied as incorrect that any person by the name of Balakrishna
was employed with the plaintiff as Laboratory Assistant, as alleged" and
there was no specific denial or response with respect to Dhiraj and Ranvir.
5. On the pleadings of the parties, on 20th July, 2009, the following
issues were framed:
(i) Was the news item concerning the plaintiff telecast on
Star News on 27th / 28th April, 2009, defamatory to the
plaintiff? OPP
(ii) If the answer to issue (i) is in the affirmative, is the
plaintiff entitled to damages and if so, to what extent? OPP
(ii) Relief.
and the parties relegated to trial.
6. The plaintiff in its evidence has examined three witnesses including
A.K. Shrivastav featured in the telecast and the defendants in their evidence
have examined two witnesses and closed their evidence on 8 th February,
2019.
7. The counsels were heard on 6th March, 2019, 13th March, 2019, 8th
April, 2019 as well as today and though the file was sent to the Chamber for
CS(OS) No.1717/2007 Page 8 of 37
dictating judgment on the same day but on request, liberty was also given to
the counsels to file written submissions if so desire and the counsels have
also submitted their written submissions / arguments on 12th April, 2010
which are taken on record.
8. During the hearing on the earlier dates, attempts for amicable
settlement were also made but did not fructify. Suffice it is to state, the
contention of the senior counsel for the plaintiff during the hearing is, that
(i) though the telecast of the defendants imputed adulteration of milk to the
plaintiff but the defendants have failed to prove the truth thereof and the
witnesses of the defendants, though claimed milk from the plaintiff to have
been got tested, failed to produce before this Court the reports of the tests
claimed to have been got done; (ii) though the defendants in the telecast,
besides A.K. Shrivastav showed two other employees of the plaintiff but
have failed to prove that they are indeed the employees of the plaintiff and
the plaintiff has denied that they were the employees of the plaintiff; (iii)
A.K. Shrivastav of the plaintiff though shown in the telecast is not shown
speaking and only in the voiceover statements are attributed to him; (iv) the
impugned telecast was outsourced by the defendants and the defendants did
not verify the correctness thereof before telecast and washed their hands of
authenticity of what was reported.
9. During the hearing, I enquired from the senior counsel for the
plaintiff, whether the plaintiff has proved any loss / damage suffered.
10. The senior counsel for the plaintiff candidly admitted that the
plaintiff has not proved any loss/damage suffered.
CS(OS) No.1717/2007 Page 9 of 37
11. The senior counsel for the defendants, during the hearing pointed out
that (i) the plaintiff in its evidence has admitted that sale of milk constitutes
only a very small i.e. 0.15% of the business of the plaintiff; (ii) there was no
need for the defendants to prove the truth since the telecast was of the
statements of the employees of the plaintiff‟s itself; and, (iii) the Managing
Director of the plaintiff appearing as PW1, in cross-examination on 31st
May, 2012 admitted that he visits the Packaging Sections only once a year
and the Dairy Division about three or four times a year and was not
involved in day-to-day functioning of the plants at Kundli and Sikandrabad;
he also admitted that the practice of adultering milk was prevalent in India
in the unorganized sector and A.K. Shrivastav shown in the telecast was the
Head Chemist of the plaintiff at Sikandrabad and that Balakrishna shown in
the telecast had falsely represented to be the employee of the plaintiff; on
being asked the basis of the claim of Rs.11 crores, he stated that the same
was "based on the cost which the plaintiff company will have to bear to
release statements and advertisements if the plaintiff company wins the case
to restore our image."
12. I also enquired from the senior counsel for the plaintiff, whether the
plaintiff, statutorily required to maintain a list of its employees, has
produced the list of its employees or the employees register and whether
any witness of the plaintiff denied the telecast being shot in the premises of
the plaintiff.
13. The senior counsel for the plaintiff again candidly admitted that it is
not so but drew attention to the affidavit by way of examination-in-chief of
PW2 Sudesh Rana, deposing that no person by the name of Balakrishna
CS(OS) No.1717/2007 Page 10 of 37
was employed with the plaintiff as a Laboratory Assistant. On further
enquiry that the same did not amount to denial of employment of
Balakrishna, the senior counsel for the plaintiff drew attention to the cross-
examination recorded on 31st May, 2012 of PW1 Managing Director of the
plaintiff to the effect that no person by the name of Balakrishna was
employed with the plaintiff company and that the person shown, falsely
represented to be employed with the plaintiff company.
14. The senior counsel for the plaintiff, in his written submission has
referred to:
(i) South Hetton Coal Co. Vs. North-Eastern News Association
Ltd. [1894] 1 Q.B. 133 and Jameel (Mohammad) Vs. Wall Street Journal
Europe [2007] 1 A.C. 359, relied upon in Hindustan Unilever Ltd. Vs.
Rackitt Benckiser India Ltd. 207 [2014] DLT 713 to contend that a
corporation‟s right to damages at large i.e. without pleading or proving
actual loss, in cases of defamation has been consistently recognized and the
same rests on the principle that the law presumes that some damage must
flow from a defamatory statement irrespective of whether defamed person
is a natural person or a legal person.
(ii) Union Benefit Guarantee Co. Ltd. Vs. Thakorlal P. Thakor
AIR 1936 Bom 114 holding that defence of fair comment is available only
when the underlying fact on which the comment is made is true and
qualified privilege available to journalists is subject to the test that the
defamatory imputation must be the product of fair and reasonable
journalism.
CS(OS) No.1717/2007 Page 11 of 37
(iii) Rookes Vs. Barnard [1964] A.C. 1129 inter alia holding that
exemplary damages may be awarded in cases where defendant‟s conduct is
calculated to make a profit for himself which may exceed the compensation
payable to the plaintiff.
(iv) Rustom K. Karanjia Vs. Krishnaraj M.D. Thackersey AIR
1970 Bom 424 relying on Broadway Approvals Vs. Odhams Press [1965]
1 W.L.R. 805, holding that a more direct pecuniary benefit would have to
be shown to make a newspaper or any other defendant liable for punitive
damages.
15. The senior counsel for the defendants in his written statement has
referred to: (a) Jawahar Lal Darda supra; (b) Pushp Sharma Vs. D.B.
Corp. Ltd. 2018 SCC OnLine Del 11537; (c) Mother Dairy Foods &
Processing Ltd. supra; (d) S. Rangarajan Vs. P. Jagajivan Ram 1989 (2)
SCC 574; and, (e) Khushwant Singh supra.
16. There is on record in Part-I file at pages 134 to 148, a transcript of
the telecast filed by the plaintiff. Though the same has not been admitted
into evidence, but both the senior counsels having proceeded on the premise
of the same being an accurate transcript, I have perused the same and have
also watched the telecast, compact disk whereof is filed along with the
plaintiff‟s documents.
17. The transcript of the telecast of the programme "Satyamev Jayate"
shows the same to be directed at exposing adulteration in milk, and the part
concerning the plaintiff at pages no.137, 142 and 144 is as under:
CS(OS) No.1717/2007 Page 12 of 37
"Reporter: Milk of sysnthetic powder is durable
Srivastav: Yes we add powder
Reporter: You never know what ingredients are mixed
in this synthetic product like urea etc.
Srivastav: It is all fair in this trade chalta hai.
xxxx
These are small fishes of duplicate milk trade, let
us now see Mr. A.K. Sriivastav who is head chemist in
Indian Potash Limited at Sikanderabad, UP adjoining
Bulandshahar. And here is Balkrishan, who is Lab
assistant in IPL and a refrigeration mechanic. This IPL
is a unit under union chemical and fertilizer ministry.
Milk producers, farmers and Dairy owners collect their
milk in this factory to load further in big tankers for
transportation to different destinations.
The assignment for IPL is to stop duplicate milk
supply, but a few greedy staff member are involved in
malfide setting.
Reporter: Tell me this setting is with GM or all the
three?
Balkirsh: It is only with GM.
Reporter: Any rough idea, what monthly he will take?
Balkrishan:- Only GM can tell this."
xxxx
"We are restricted yet to western UP and hence
not named big brands. We have only tried to reveal the
state of affair in Western UP, where lot of careless
attitude is visible even in IPL a government owned unit.
CS(OS) No.1717/2007 Page 13 of 37
This is IPL means Indian Potash Limited under
union Chemical and fertilizers Ministry to arrange and
provide feretiliser and seeds to local farmers. It is
responsible to transport milk for marketing from small
dairies to big towns. A milk collection centre is also
established here, where 50 to 60 thousand litres is
collected everyday and further transported for
marketing in Delhi after its quality testing."
18. There is no mention in the transcript of any employee of the plaintiff
named Ranvir. Though conversation with one Dhiraj is recorded but he is
described as an employee of Pal Dairy and not of the plaintiff. Neither
counsel also referred to the said two persons.
19. A viewing of the actual telecast from the compact disk filed by the
plaintiff shows the aforesaid transcript to be authentic, save that the
telecast, for some length of time, also has a scroll reporting "IPL ke kuch
karamchari shamil", "IPL mein jaanch pe laparwahi", "IPL ke chemist ka
khulasa", "Indian Potash Ltd. ke karamchari shamil" and "IPL se dairyon
ko supply".
20. Though the senior counsel for the plaintiff argued that there is no
conversation recorded but not only is the said argument contrary to the
transcript but also to the plaint admitting such conversation. Reading and
seeing the transcript also shows that the telecast having video and audio
recording of conversation with A.K. Shrivastav, though evidently from a
hidden camera.
21. It is quite evident on watching the telecast that the persons shown in
the telecast, including A.K. Shrivastav, were not aware that they were being
CS(OS) No.1717/2007 Page 14 of 37
recorded and the telecast, insofar as in this respect, is in the nature of a sting
operation.
22. Else, the segment of the telecast qua plaintiff forms a minuscule
portion of the telecast, which could even be missed on batting an eyelid,
save for the scroll aforesaid.
23. On watching the telecast and reading its transcript, the imputation
therein qua the plaintiff is, that though the plaintiff has been set up by the
Government of India to help the farmers / dairy owners find a market for
their milk, but the employees of the plaintiff are either indulging in
adulteration or are negligent in testing. No blame is put in the telecast on
the plaintiff as a juristic person in itself. The averments in the plaint show
the plaintiff also to have so understood the telecast.
24. What immediately strikes one in the face is, that the management of
the plaintiff, even though itself did not watch the telecast, after being
informed of it by friends and well wishers as is pleaded, instead of
investigating whether what was attributed in the telecast to the employees
of the plaintiff, was correct or not, rushed to write to the defendant. It is
quite obvious from the e-mail dated 28th April, 2007 claimed to have been
sent by the plaintiff to the defendant and copy of which has been filed by
the plaintiff with its documents, though again not proved, that the same was
sent without even watching the telecast. The said e-mail inter alia states:
"We have been given to understand that on 28th of April,07,
you have done a story on sale of adulterated / synthetic milk
in Western U.P. and further you have linked it with our
Company namely Indian Potash Ltd. (IPL). The Senior
CS(OS) No.1717/2007 Page 15 of 37
Management personnel of the Company were busy with the
Annual Managers Meeting and none of us, therefore, has
seen the telecast but based on information received from our
friends and families, we would like to make the following
observations so as to prove that your story suffers from many
material and factual flaws:
1. ........................
2. ........................
3. The story done by your correspondents alleges 20 IPL
officers association with this sale of adulterated /
synthetic milk. While some photographs were shown,
please note that only one of them, namely Mr. A.K.
Shrivastav is non-Executive level employee of the
Company in the Quality Control Department.
4. ........................
5. ........................
6. ........................
7. In this so called sting operation, association of IPL
officers with such unscrupulous elements has not been
captured on camera. None of our people have been
shown compromising their integrity or the interest of
the Organization against any allurement.
Having said that which as stated above is based on
hear-say reports, may we request you to kindly provide us
with a tape of the said story at a cost which may be indicated.
We are very keen ourselves that should there be any truth in
your expose, we will be glad to associate your people with a
transparent inquiry and the guilty persons will be given
severest punishment promptly. Please respond at your
earliest convenience at our following address and contact
numbers since we believe in best ethics of public
accountability."
25. In subsequent letter dated 1st May, 2007, served by the plaintiff on
the defendant and proved as Exhibit P-1, the plaintiff inter alia stated:
CS(OS) No.1717/2007 Page 16 of 37
"A reconstruction of this story from all available accounts
clearly gives us the impression that your so-called expose
was done solely with the objective of harming the reputation
or our company. In a programme lasting 45 minutes, less
than one minute has been devoted to a conversation with Mr.
A.K. Srivastava of our plant and the fleeting appearance of
this junior employee of the company does not in any way
prove his involvement with anything sinister that has been
attributed to him repeatedly in the scroll."
26. The plaintiff followed up the aforesaid communication with the legal
notice dated 24th May, 2007 proved as Exhibit P2 and thereafter instituted
this suit on 11th September, 2007.
27. There is no pleading or evidence of the plaintiff having conducted
any investigation into negligence and guilt of its employees imputed in the
telecast and though the plaintiff claimed that A.K. Shrivastav, conversation
with whom admittedly is shown in the telecast, was a junior employee but
the senior management of the plaintiff, did not enquire into his conduct
even.
28. Though A.K. Shrivastav, in his affidavit by way of examination-in-
chief deposed that he saw the telecast on 28th April, 2007, it is not the case
that A.K. Shrivastav brought the same to the notice of the management of
plaintiff, as he in ordinary course of human conduct was expected to do.
The only inference is that A.K. Shrivastav, inspite of seeing the telecast on
28th April, 2007, chose to keep quiet and not dispute.
29. All this leads to the conclusion that the plaintiff, though initially in e-
mail dated 28th April, 2007 expressed intent to associate with defendants to
enquire and punish its guilty employees, rather than being interested in
CS(OS) No.1717/2007 Page 17 of 37
finding out whether any of its junior employees handling the milk business
at the spot, at least one of whom figured in the telecast, understood by the
plaintiff also as a sting operation, were involved in adulteration, was more
interested in spending money on this litigation, paying court fees of
Rs.10,76,000/- besides lawyers fees and other expenses.
30. As far as the emphasis, in the arguments of the senior counsel for the
plaintiff, of the defendants having not proved employment of Balakrishna
with the plaintiff, a perusal of the plaint as set out hereinbelow shows that
the plaintiff, while instituting the suit, did not dispute employment of
Balakrishna. In para no.12 of the plaint, it was pleaded as under:
"12) The Plaintiff submits that in the story telecast by the
Defendants which was of 45 minutes of duration less than 1
minute was devoted to the conversation with Mr. A.K.
Shrivastav, the employee of the Plaintiff company and the
fleeting appearance of the junior level employee does not in
any manner reveal the involvement of the Plaintiff company
or show that it had any role to play in the production or sale
of adulterated / synthetic milk in western UP. The
programme run by the Defendants was stage managed in
order to tarnish the reputation of the Plaintiff company and
lower its esteem in the eyes of the general public."
The plaintiff, in the aforesaid paragraph referred to A.K. Shrivastav
as employee of plaintiff as well as to a junior level employee, obviously
referring to Balakrishna. In any case, there is no plea that Balakrishna was
not an employee of plaintiff. As aforesaid, even in replication there was no
specific denial of employment of Balakrishna and it was only stated that
there was no Laboratory Assistant by the name of Balakrishna. The plaintiff
however during the trial appears to have slowly built up the case of denial
CS(OS) No.1717/2007 Page 18 of 37
of employment of Balakrishna, without however providing the employees
register, statutorily required to be maintained.
31. Plaintiff is a large, board managed company, the Directors and
Managing Director at the helm whereof cannot be expected to personally
conduct each and every affair of the businesses of the plaintiff. The
plaintiff, as a prudent, honest and bona fide governmental business entity
engaged in business of food products, on being presented with the expose
of the negligence and guilt of its employees, ought to have immediately
been put to enquiry and determined whether there was any truth in it. It is
nowhere denied that the person shown in the telecast as A.K. Shrivastav of
plaintiff at least is indeed A.K. Shrivastav, employee of plaintiff and as
aforesaid, it is evident from watching the telecast that A.K. Shrivastav was
unaware of the conversation with him being video-graphed and recorded.
A.K. Shrivastav has not denied that the voice audible on the telecast and
shown to be emanating from him is not his voice. The conduct of A.K.
Shrivastav, of inspite of seeing the telecast on 28 th April, 2007, not bringing
it to the notice of senior management of the plaintiff, which claims to have
learnt thereof from their friends and family, also should have put the senior
management of the plaintiff to enquiry. Once it was so, ordinarily the
management of the plaintiff should have, before rushing to the Court,
satisfied itself by conducting a proper enquiry into what was attributed in
the telecast to the employees of the plaintiff.
32. I reiterate, there is no plea or evidence, of the plaintiff having
conducted any such investigation or enquiry or outcome thereof. There is
CS(OS) No.1717/2007 Page 19 of 37
no averment of any questions having been put to A.K. Shrivastav,
admittedly figuring in the sting operation.
33. The conduct of the management of the plaintiff though initially
expressed desire to investigate and put its house in order, of having
ultimately not done so and having instead opted to make the matter
subjudice, to avoid any further questions being raised, specially by the
Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers, does not behove well, considering its
status and rather shows a tendency of brushing dirt under the carpet and
protecting its employees, instead of acting in public interest. Though the
impugned telecast was directed against the employees of the plaintiff, as
distinct from the plaintiff and its management but the plaintiff and its
management, without enquiring, chose to totally identify itself with the
employees, not maintaining the essential difference between a company and
its employees.
34. Though undoubtedly the defendants also have not proved the truth of
the telecast, in so far as against the plaintiff and on which I had questioned
the senior counsel for the defendants but on further consideration am of the
view that there were no means available to the defendants to prove the truth
against the plaintiff. The defendants, in the said telecast cautioned the
viewers of the rampant practice of adulteration of milk by suppliers thereof,
the methodologies adopted therefor and the various items/elements/goods
mixed with the milk, to lengthen its life, to cure the milk which has turned
bad, and the harmful effects thereof, by interviewing and secretly recording
the conversations with the people involved, admitting so. Two of the
persons so shown are A.K. Shrivastav and Balakrishna of the plaintiff. A.K.
CS(OS) No.1717/2007 Page 20 of 37
Shrivastav is shown sitting in some office and since immediately before
showing him, the premises with board of plaintiff are shown, what is
conveyed is that A.K. Shrivastav is sitting in his office in the premises of
plaintiff. I have wondered, how the defendants could have entered the
premises of the plaintiff and collected evidence, after the plaintiff and its
officers and employees had already been cautioned by becoming subject
matter of the sting operation. Similarly, the defendants are right in pleading
that no purpose would have been served by seeking comments of the senior
management of the plaintiff.
35. Sting operations, possible in the recent past, are an outcome of
advancement in technology which permits video and audio recording,
without the target person coming to know. Such sting operations occupy a
place of their own and are today an important part of the society. Misdeeds
are always clandestine, shrouded in secrecy and rarely proved owing to
complexity of all involved therein, and with hardly any evidence. None
indulging in such misdeeds, admits thereto, least to journalists and media
persons. The true picture is presented, by laying a trap. In the subject
telecast also, the persons depicted have been recorded, by the
journalists/media persons portraying themselves to be engaged in the
business of milk and interested in availing services by adulterators or
wanting tips therefor. The only way to bring the same in the public glare is
through such sting operations which even though may not result in
punishing the guilty but at least has the effect of stopping or suspending the
misdeeds, even if for a short time. A.K. Shrivastav and Balakrishna were
also so approached and conversations with them recorded. A.K. Shrivastav
CS(OS) No.1717/2007 Page 21 of 37
can be heard confirming that synthetic powder and urea is mixed in the
milk. Balakrishna or the person representing to be Balakrishna is heard
saying that "setting for such adulteration is done with the GM" and "only
the GM can tell what he charges therefor". Courts, while dealing with
claims for defamation from such sting operations, cannot be unmindful of
the purpose they serve in the society. Awarding compensation / damages
for defamation against persons, who at their own cost, inconvenience and
risk of being beaten up on their cover being blown, carry out such sting
operations, will act as a deterrent and ultimately result in the society being
deprived of the benefit thereof.
36. The five Judge Bench of the Supreme Court, in Raja Ram Pal Vs.
Hon'ble Speaker, Lok Sabha (2007) 3 SCC 184, concerned with the sting
operation showing Members of the Parliament accepting money directly or
through middleman, as consideration for raising certain questions in the
House or for otherwise espousing certain other causes, from those offering
the lucre, held that it was not concerned with what kind of gains, financial
or otherwise, were made by those persons who had conceived or engineered
the sting operations leading to the material being brought into public
domain through electronic media and the only question for adjudication was
the misconduct attributed to the Members bringing the House in disrepute,
and rejected the contention to the said effect. Again, in R.K. Anand Vs.
Registrar, Delhi High Court (2009) 8 SCC 106, dealing with a sting
operation to show the nexus between a witness for the prosecution, public
prosecutor and the defence counsel, it was held that the sting telecast served
a larger public interest and public cause rather than allowing the attempt to
CS(OS) No.1717/2007 Page 22 of 37
suborn a witness with the object to undermine a criminal trial, lie quietly
behind the veil of secrecy. The sting telecast was held to be in no way
interfering with or obstructing the due course of judicial proceeding and
was held to be rather intended to prevent the attempt to interfere with or
obstruct the due course of law in the trial. It was further held that
considering the important public issue which the sting telecast served, there
was no need to go into the question whether the telecast tended to influence
the trial. Though certain faults were found in the sting telecast but it was
still held that the sting telecast rendered valuable service to the important
public cause to protect and salvage the purity of the course of justice and
only an advisory was issued to the television channels to be free from
biases and prejudices and to not trivialise highly serious issues and to
maintain the requisite standards. It was however recorded that it was not the
intent of the Court to control and regulate the media from outside and
which was held to be likely to cause more harm than good. The Division
Bench of this Court, in Court on its Own Motion Vs. State (2008) 146 DLT
429, dealing with a sting operation showing a teacher with a Delhi
Government school purportedly forcing a girl student into prostitution,
though held that giving inducement to a person to commit an offence which
he is otherwise not likely and inclined to commit, so as to make the same
part of the sting operation is deplorable, held that sting operations showing
acts and facts as they are truly and actually happening may be necessary in
public interest and as a tool for justice, but a hidden camera cannot be
allowed to depict something which is not true, correct and is not happening
but has happened because of inducement by entrapping a person. It was
further observed that media is well within its rightful domain when it seeks
CS(OS) No.1717/2007 Page 23 of 37
to use tools of investigative journalism to bring us face to face with the ugly
underbelly of the society; however it is not permissible for the media to
entice and try to actively induce an individual into committing an offence
which otherwise he is not known and likely to commit. It was held that the
media is not to test individuals by infringing upon the individual‟s right of
privacy. Though proposed guidelines for sting operations were also
recorded in the judgment, but the Division Bench refrained from binding
the media therewith.
37. It is not the case of the plaintiff or of Mr. A.K. Shrivastav in his
evidence, that the sting recording of A.K. Shrivastav or the conversation
recorded with him, was on any inducement.
38. Else, freedom of speech and press has always been upheld. Reference
if any required can be made to Romesh Thappar Vs. State of Madras AIR
1950 SC 124, Brij Bhushan Vs. State of Delhi AIR 1950 SC 129 and
Sakal Papers (P) Ltd. Vs. The Union of India AIR 1962 SC 305. In Indian
Express Newspapers (Bombay) Private Ltd. Vs. Union of India (1985) 1
SCC 641, it was held that in today‟s free world freedom of press is the heart
of social and political intercourse; the press has now assumed the role of the
public educator; the purpose of the press is to advance the public interest
by publishing facts and opinions without which a democratic electorate
cannot make responsible judgments; the authors have to be critical of the
actions of the government in order to expose its weaknesses; that such
publications become an irritant or even a threat to power and the
Governments naturally take recourse to suppress such publications in
different ways but it is the primary duty of all the national courts to uphold
CS(OS) No.1717/2007 Page 24 of 37
the said freedom and invalidate all laws or administrative actions which
interfere with it, contrary to the constitutional mandate. It was held that the
Court represents the conscience of the community and exercises the power
to keep alive and vital the higher values and goals towards which our
society imperfectly strives. In Printers (Mysore) Ltd. Vs. Asstt.
Commercial Tax Officer (1994) 2 SCC 434, dealing with the aspect of
taxation on the press also, it was held that though press is not immune from
taxation but there is prohibition upon imposition of any restriction directly
relatable to the right to publish, to the right to disseminate information and
to the circulation of newspapers.
39. Though the press and the media are not exempt or always protected
from the general law relating to defamation but it is to be kept in mind that
defamation law is not to be used to gag, silence, suppress and subjugate
press and the media. It cannot be forgotten that the law of defamation has
potential to be an unreasonable restriction on the freedom of speech and
expression guaranteed by the Constitution of India and the Courts owe a
duty to ensure that the law of defamation is not so exploited. Recently in
Subramanian Swamy Vs. Union of India (2016) 7 SCC 221, dealing with
the constitutional validity of Section 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code,
1860 constituting defamation as an offence, it was held that though right to
freedom of speech and expression is a highly valued and cherished right but
the Constitution itself conceives of reasonable restrictions and Sections 499
and 500 of the IPC cannot be characterized as disproportionate restriction
on free speech. Right to free speech was held to be not meaning that a
citizen can defame others. Protection of reputation was also held to be a
CS(OS) No.1717/2007 Page 25 of 37
human and fundamental right, serving a social interest. To constitute the
offence of defamation, it was held that there must not only be an imputation
but it must have been made with the intention of causing harm or having
reason to believe that such imputation will harm the reputation of the
person about whom it is made. It was further held that criticism and
commentary on policies, enactments or opinions do not remotely constitute
defamation. It was further held that the Courts are required to balance the
right of reputation with the freedom of speech and expression.
40. A perusal of the plaint shows that though compensation in Rs.11
crores is claimed, but without a whisper that the esteem in which the
plaintiff is held has fallen in any manner whatsoever in the eyes of any
person dealing with the plaintiff or that any person dealing with the plaintiff
has refused to deal with the plaintiff or has enquired from the plaintiff of
what was attributed to it or doubted the plaintiff. Rather, the plaintiff has
expressly pleaded that "no person has made any complaint in respect of the
milk produced by the plaintiff....." Pleas in para no.11 of the plaint, of the
telecast having the effect of lowering the esteem of the plaintiff in the eyes
of general public and causing loss of reputation of the plaintiff and the
constituents of the plaintiff who are Multi-State Cooperatives, are in a
vacuum and hypothetical. There can be no claim for compensation for
defamation without defamation. For a claim for compensation on account
of defamation being made, it is essential, even if actual loss cannot be
pleaded, to state particulars of the difficulties which the plaintiff has had to
face in its dealings on account of others suspecting the plaintiff. Here, on
the contrary, it is expressly stated that none is suspecting the plaintiff. This
CS(OS) No.1717/2007 Page 26 of 37
is also obvious from the statement of the senior counsel for the plaintiff that
no loss of business suffered by the plaintiff has been proved, implying that
no loss has been suffered. Without defamation as aforesaid and without
loss, even if not capable of computation, there can be no claim on account
of defamation. On the contrary the Managing Director of the plaintiff, when
asked in cross-examination, the basis of damages claimed of Rs.11 crores,
answered that the same was expected to be the expenditure which the
plaintiff will have to incur in releasing statements and advertisements in the
event of the plaintiff winning the case, to restore its image. However there
is no pleading or evidence, how the image has been dented, which needs to
be restored. Imputation against junior level employees of the plaintiff, as
the telecast has been understood by the plaintiff also, is not imputation
against the plaintiff. Such imputations are only intended to make the
plaintiff and its management enquire.
41. The plaintiff has not examined a single witness who understood the
impugned telecast as defamatory of the plaintiff or in whose esteem the
plaintiff fell or who refused to deal with or doubted the plaintiff after seeing
the telecast. Admittedly, the plaintiff, after the telecast did not receive any
enquiries or complaints and none refused to buy milk from the plaintiff. All
the three witnesses examined are employees/officers of the plaintiff. In
face thereof, certainly no case of defamation is made out, for the plaintiff to
be awarded even general or nominal damages, for which the senior counsel
for the plaintiff presses.
42. I may add, just like in the context of advertising of goods, specially
comparative advertisements, it has been held that the consumers understand
CS(OS) No.1717/2007 Page 27 of 37
the advertiser as puffing up its goods, so is it in case of such telecasts. In
todays day and time of, "paid news and news features" and "Breaking
News", with each publisher/T.V./News channel vying to increase its „TRPs‟
i.e. Target Rating Point/viewership, the consumers thereof take such
telecasts with puffing or a pinch or bag of salt. A viewer of such telecast of
reasonable intellect would understand the telecast qua the plaintiff as
bringing to the attention of the management of the plaintiff, the misdeeds of
its employees, and expect corrective action.
43. Alas, such corrective action has not been taken.
44. It cannot also be lost sight of that the plaintiff is a company under the
administrative control of Department of Fertilizers, Union Ministry of
Chemicals & Fertilizers, with 90% of its equity held by Government funded
State Cooperative ventures and Public Sector companies. What has been
imputed in the telecast as aforesaid, is to the lower level employees of the
plaintiff. The plaintiff, as per its own averments is performing a public
function of marketing and sale promotion of potassic and non-potassic
fertilizers and their distribution and of assisting the dairy owners market
their milk produce. However the plaintiff, in instituting the suit as aforesaid,
has identified itself with its employees. As far back as in R. Rajagopal Vs.
State of T.N. (1994) 6 SCC 632, it was held that in the case of public
officials, the right to privacy or for that matter the remedy of action for
damages is simply not available with respect to their acts and conduct
relevant to the discharge of their official duties and this is so even when the
publication is based upon facts and statements which are not true, unless the
official establishes that the publication was made with reckless disregard
CS(OS) No.1717/2007 Page 28 of 37
for truth. It was further held that in such a case it is enough for the
defendant (member of the press or media) to prove that he acted after a
reasonable verification of the facts and it is not necessary for him to prove
that what he has written is true; only where the publication is proved to be
false and actuated by malice or personal animosity was the defendant held
to be having no defence and liable for damages. It was further held that the
Government, local authority and other organs and institutions exercising
governmental power cannot maintain a suit for damages for defaming them.
45. Mention in this context may also be made to the dicta of the House of
Lords in Derbyshire County Council Vs. Times Newspapers Ltd. [1993] 1
All ER 1011 citing with approval the earlier judgment in City of Chicago
Vs. Tribune Co. (1923) 307 III 595, holding that a civil action for
defamation is as great if not a greater restriction than a criminal prosecution
on fundamental right of freedom of speech and expression and right to
criticize the government, and that all civil and criminal actions for
criticizing the government, which is a privilege, are forbidden. Such
actions, it was held, would prevent the publication of material which it is
very desirable to make public. It was held that a government cannot stifle
opposition by a series of civil actions and criminal prosecutions for
defamation. Right to criticize an inefficient or corrupt government, without
fear of civil as well as criminal prosecution, was held to be a right of every
citizen. It was held that a number of departments of government are
statutorily created corporations and there is no public interest favouring
such organs of government to sue for libel, because the same places
undesirable fetters on freedom of speech. It was further held that there is
CS(OS) No.1717/2007 Page 29 of 37
no public interest favouring the right of organs of government, whether
central or local, to sue for libel and it is contrary to the public interest that
they should have such a right.
46. The position of the plaintiff, on the averments in the plaint itself,
though a company incorporated under the Companies Act, is akin to that of
a governmental department or a body exercising government functions.
Thus, what has been held in judgments immediately aforesaid, applies to
the plaintiff and in accordance with which the suit did not lie and was
misconceived in its inception.
47. The balancing, which the Courts are required to do between the
Fundamental Rights of Freedom of Speech and Expression particularly of
the press / media, and of reputation, has to be with the objective of ensuring
that there is no chilling effect. If a person or press or media were put under
a fear of being sued, they will not express himself / themselves freely on
public issues and this would chill public debate and enquiry. It is not for
the government to sue for defamation of its employees. If at all anybody
had a right to sue for defamation, it was A.K. Shrivastav and not the
plaintiff. The plaintiff, in its zeal to protect its employees including A.K.
Shrivastav from any enquiry, has chosen to spend public monies running
into lacs of rupees in filing and pursuing this suit for defamation and which
as aforesaid does not behove a governmental company. The standard of
proof, in the defence taken of truth, has been held to be limited to determine
whether the view alleged to be defamatory could honestly be held by a fair
minded person on facts known at that time. In the absence of any plea on
the part of the plaintiff, of malice on the part of the defendants, in my
CS(OS) No.1717/2007 Page 30 of 37
opinion, there could be no iota of doubt in the mind of a fair minded person,
now as well as at the time of alleged defamation, on the basis of the
material telecast, of the complicity of the employees of the defendants in
the rampant adulteration of milk. Adulteration of milk, a vital food product
which is widely valued in our society as an essential ingredient especially
for children, has always been a subject of public interest and public concern
since it effects the health and well being. Courts of foreign jurisdiction have
been evolving the defence, of responsible communication on matters of
public interest, to the claims for defamation. Reference in this regard can
be made to Grant Vs. Torstar Corp. MANU/SCCN/0058/2009 and to
Edward Taihakurei Durie Vs. Heta Gardiner [2018] NZCA 278. The
telecast qualifies as a responsible communication on a matter of public
interest.
48. We are today living in an era of „Right to Information‟ with matters
hitherto before inaccessible to the public becoming accessible to the public
and ultimately leading to good governance. Recently, in Yashwant Sinha
Vs. Central Bureau of Investigation 2019 SCC OnLine SC 517, the
Supreme Court has gone to the extent of holding that the right to
information prevails even over the Official Secrets Act, 1923 and / or that
the Official Secrets Act has to be read harmoniously with the right to
information. In this state of law, without the plaintiff pleading or proving
to have suffered any defamation or consequence thereof, I would not be
inclined to return a finding of defamation or even award nominal damages
to the plaintiff against the defendants.
CS(OS) No.1717/2007 Page 31 of 37
49. As far as the judgments referred to in the written arguments of the
senior counsel for the plaintiff are concerned, Hindustan Unilever Ltd.
supra which in turn refers to South Hetton Coal Co. and Jameel
(Mohammad) supra, was a case of disparaging advertising. After holding
the advertisement of the defendant therein to be disparaging the same class
of goods of the plaintiff, the Division Bench dealt with the aspect of
damages to be awarded. It was held that the reputation of a corporate body
is capable of being and will not simply be something in which its Directors
and shareholders may take pride, but an asset of positive value to it. It was
found on the basis of evidence recorded, that the plaintiff‟s advertisements
of the defendant therein conveyed that the plaintiff‟s product "DETTOL"
caused damage to the skin and the same was beyond permissible puffing. It
was thus held that though it will not be possible for a successful plaintiff in
a disparagement or slander of goods action to quantify the extent of loss,
there would necessary be an element of dynamism in this because of the
nature of the product, the season it is sold in, the possible future or long
term impact that may arise on account of the advertisement. However, this
is not the position here. Not only has defamation of the plaintiff not been
established but no loss or damage is pleaded or proved to have been caused
to the plaintiff by the telecast. Moreover, the plaintiff as aforesaid is a
government company and what has been held qua private company, would
not apply to the plaintiff. For the same reason, Union Benefit Guarantee
Co. Ltd., Rookes, Broadway Approvals and Rustom K. Karanjia supra,
also do not apply. It is neither the plea nor the evidence that the impugned
telecast was for the defendants to earn profit at the cost of the plaintiff. The
defendants are not in the business of marketing or sale of milk, to, by
CS(OS) No.1717/2007 Page 32 of 37
claiming the milk of the plaintiff to be adulterated, benefit in sales of their
own milk.
50. In Jawahar Lal Darda supra referred to in the written arguments of
the senior counsel for the defendants, the accused in the prosecution for the
offence of defamation, believing the version of the Minister to be true had
published the news report thereof. It was held that if the accused under
bona fide belief of the version of the Minister to be true, published the
report in good faith, it could not be said that they intended to harm the
reputation of the complainant. It was further held that the report in respect
of public conduct of public servants who were entrusted with public funds
intended to be used for public good, was in public interest and the
prosecution quashed. In S. Rangarajan supra also referred to in the written
arguments of the senior counsel for the defendants, it was held i) freedom
of speech under Article 19(1)(a) means the right to express one‟s opinion
by words of mouth, writing, printing, picture or in any other manner, and
would thus include the freedom of communication and the right to
propagate or publish opinion; ii) the communication of ideas could be made
through any medium, newspaper, magazine or movie; iii) but this right is
subject to reasonable restrictions on grounds set out under Article 19(2); iv)
these restrictions intended to strike a proper balance between the liberty
guaranteed and the social interest; v) there should be a compromise
between the interest of freedom of expression and social interests; Court
cannot simply balance the two interests as if they are of equal weight;
Courts commitment to freedom of expression demands that it cannot be
suppressed unless the situations created by allowing the freedom are
CS(OS) No.1717/2007 Page 33 of 37
pressing and the community interest is endangered; the anticipated danger
should not be remote, conjectural or far fetched - it should have proximate
and direct nexus with the expression; and, vi) democracy is a government
by the people via open discussion; the democratic form of government
demands from its citizens an active and intelligent participation in the
affairs of the community; the public discussion with people participation is
a basic feature and a rational process of democracy which distinguishes it
from all other forms of government. Applying the said logic, in the
absence of the plaintiff leading any evidence whatsoever of any person in
whose eyes or esteem the plaintiff fell, it can by no means be said that there
has been any proximate or direct nexus between the esteem in which the
plaintiff is held by its patrons and the impugned telecast. The averments in
the plaint, of defamation of the plaintiff, are mere conjectures of the
plaintiff.
51. This Court in Mother Dairy Foods & Processing Ltd. supra was
concerned with an application for interim injunction restraining telecast,
publication and showing on the website, of the programme titled "Inside
Story- Safed Doodh Ka Kala Karobar" and for recovery of damages for
defamation. The plaintiff Mother Dairy Foods & Processing Ltd., also a
public sector enterprise engaged in the business of supply of milk and milk
products, was aggrieved from the telecast investigating into how synthetic
milk was being manufactured. While denying interim injunction restraining
the telecast, it was inter alia held i) that the defendant's efforts in
unearthing and bringing to the notice of public the menace of
manufacturing of synthetic milk and its possible supply to leading
CS(OS) No.1717/2007 Page 34 of 37
manufacturers such as plaintiff was a laudable measure for public good; ii)
though the requisite particulars were not given in the programme and no
serious efforts or research appeared to have been undertaken, but it was the
author's prerogative to decide the contents of the programme and the author
has complete freedom regarding its composition; iii) the author has right to
criticize in a scathing manner, lack of quality control tests or procedure and
or ineffective processes and to bring out need for maintenance of standards
to ensure quality; iv) media has the onerous responsibility to ensure that
facts are verified and the matter is thoroughly investigated and researched;
though this appeared to be missing in the impugned telecast but still
keeping in view the larger interest, the interim injunction was denied. I find
the suit to have been ultimately compromised.
52. As far as the other judgments referred to in the written arguments of
the senior counsel for the defendants are concerned, (i) in Pushp Sharma
supra aforesaid, it was held a) public figures and public institutions have to
fulfil a very high threshold to seek injunctive relief in respect of alleged
libel or defamation; b) those who fill public positions must not be too thin
skinned in respect of references made upon them; c) the members of the
public and citizens of this country expect news and fair comment as to
whether a public institution functions properly; d) unless it is demonstrated
at the threshold that the offending content is malicious or palpably false, an
injunction should not be given; e) democracy presupposes robustness in
debates, which often turns the spotlight on public figures and public
institutions; f) if Courts are to routinely stifle debate, what cannot be done
by law by the State can be achieved indirectly without satisfying exacting
CS(OS) No.1717/2007 Page 35 of 37
constitutional standards that permit infractions on the valuable right to
freedom of speech; and, (ii) Khushwant Singh supra was concerned with
consideration of two competing interest, of a well known author to publish
his autobiography where references were made to personal lives of public
figures and the public figures claim for protection against such publications.
It was held, a) freedom of the press extends to engaging in uninhibited
debate about the involvement of public figures in public issues and events;
b) once a matter is of public interest, the right to privacy no longer subsists
and it becomes a legitimate subject for comment by press and media; c) in
the case of public officials, the right to privacy or for that matter, the
remedy of action for damages is simply not available with respect to their
acts and conduct relevant to the discharge of their official duties - this is so
even where the publication is based upon facts and statements which are not
true, unless the official establishes that the publication was made with
reckless disregard for truth; d) it would be enough for the defendant
(member of the press of media) to prove that he acted after a reasonable
verification of the facts; it is not necessary for him to prove what he has
written is true; e) of course, where the publication is proved to have been
actuated by malice or personal animosity, the defendant would have no
defense and would be liable for damages; f) government, local authority
and other organs and institutions exercising governmental cannot maintain
a suit for damages for defaming them; and, g) people have a right to hold a
particular view and express freely on the matter of public interest.
53. No case of defamation of plaintiff having been made out, the question
of plaintiff being entitled to recover any amount as damages, does not arise.
CS(OS) No.1717/2007 Page 36 of 37
54. Both issues are thus decided against the plaintiff and in favour of the
defendants.
55. Resultantly, the suit is dismissed. I however refrain from burdening
plaintiff with costs of suit incurred by defendant.
Decree sheet be prepared.
RAJIV SAHAI ENDLAW, J.
MAY 2, 2019 APRIL 10, 2019 „gsr‟/pp..
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