Aroon Purie defamation case: Supreme Court grants relief to India Today Chairperson over news article against Indian diplomat in Edinburgh

The Supreme Court on Monday quashed the defamation criminal defamation complaint filed against founder-director of India Today Aroon Purie over a news article published in India Today magazine in 2007 against the then Indian deputy consul general in Edinburgh, O.P. Bhola.

The Bench of Chief Justice U.U. Lalit, Justice Ravindra Bhat and Justice Bela M. Trivedi granted relief to Purie, but refused to quash the case against the author of news article ‘Mission Misconduct’.

Appearing for Purie, Senior Advocate K.V. Vishwanathan contended that he was the Editor-in-Chief at the time of publication and could not be held liable considering the decision in the case of KM Mathew vs State Of Kerala.

CJI Lalit then observed that the government officials and the Editor may be granted relief, however, it refused to give the same to the correspondent.

Earlier, the Delhi High Court had rejected Purie’s petition on the matter. Purie had contended before the High Court that at the time of the publication of the news item, the allegation of sexual harassment and financial irregularity had already been made against the complainant and steps for disciplinary proceedings had been initiated. 

It added that the news item only reported a fact, which was already on public record.

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