The Delhi High Court has issued summons against news agency Asia News International (ANI) for broadcasting/publishing the interview of a Muslim woman, who claimed that her husband gave her Triple Talaq for not bearing a male child.
The single-judge Bench of Justice Prathiba M Singh on Tuesday issued notices on the defamation suit filed by the Muslim man, seeking an explanation from ANI and his wife regarding their dissemination of allegedly incorrect information.
The High Court further instructed the Counsel appearing for the petitioner to remove ANI’s Chairman, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), and Director from the list of parties involved and posted the matter for further hearing on March 20.
The matter pertained to a story and a video interview published by ANI in January 2021. The news item featured a woman, who claimed to have undergone multiple forced abortions and experienced physical abuse from her husband.
The woman had also alleged that her husband pronounced Triple Talaq after 23 years of marriage.
The petitioner contended before the High Court that he belonged to the Shia sect of Islam, noting that Triple Talaq held no recognition as a legitimate form of divorce in his community.
Calling the allegations levelled against him in the article as false and defamatory, the petitioner argued that the continued presence of the news report and video interview on ANI’s platform since January 2021 was severely prejudicing his personal and professional reputation. He sought damages amounting to Rs 2.1 crore from ANI and his wife.
The petitioner further sought a permanent injunction to remove all online content against him.
The man had earlier filed a writ petition before the High Court seeking directives for ANI and several other media outlets to remove the allegedly defamatory content. However, the High Court had then directed him to pursue appropriate remedies through a civil suit.
Subsequently, he filed a civil suit, citing grounds of libel and seeking permanent injunction against defamation.
The petitioner was represented by Advocates Jayant Bhatt, Mekhala Bhatt, Sadiya Ali and Vipul Pathak. Advocate Gargie Boss filed the petition.
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