Congress MLA Laxman Savadi has recently obtained a court order restraining eight media groups from publishing any obscene material that would damage his reputation in a case dating back to 2013. The order was passed on June 30 by the XXII Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge of Bengaluru.
Savadi, MLA for Athani constituency in Belagavi district, had stated in his arguments that some vested interests created a fake video portraying him as watching obscene videos inside the Vidhana Soudha intended to damage his reputation. He went on to state that one of the groups, Kasturi News, had broadcast the visuals that were allegedly graphically reconstructed to tarnish his image.
The court stated that the media groups had not cross-examined the witness or given evidence to disprove the complaint. It stated, “The defendants have not entered the witness box to prove their defense as such it can be inferred that the defense put forth by the defendants is false. At the same time the oral and documentary evidence of the plaintiff is not challenged by the defendants. Hence, it can be inferred that the plaintiff has proved his case.”
One of the media houses argued that no content against Savadi had been broadcast while other arguments included the fact that the law in any case did not permit the broadcast of obscene material. The media houses also argued that illegalities by public servants should be brought to light, while also relying on the fundamental right to freedom of speech.
The court observed that it is not the case of the media groups that “the plaintiff has been punished by any competent court of law for the alleged act of the plaintiff. If the plaintiff is not punished by any competent court, until declaring the plaintiff a wrongdoer his reputation is to be protected by this court.”
The court then passed a permanent injunction restraining the media groups from broadcasting obscene visuals which would damage Savadi’s reputation.