Telangana: Akun’s case on Outlook quashed

Hyderabad: Justice B. Siva Shankar Rao of the Hyderabad High Court on Thursday quashed criminal proceedings initiated against the management of Outlook magazine by IPS officer Akun Sabarwal for a report published by the magazine against his wife Smitha Sabarwal, additional secretary in the TS Chief Minister’s Office.

The Hyderabad CCS police had booked a case against Outlook editor-in-chief Krishna Prasad, assistant editor Madhavi Tata, cartoonist Saahil and president of the Outlook group Indranil Roy. The management of the magazine had moved the quash petition in July, 2015.

Allowing the petition, the judge found fault with the police for registering the crime on the complaint of the husband as he has no locus standi to file the complaint.

The judge said that if the police was allowed to go ahead with the case based on the complaint of Mr Sabarwal, it would amounts to abuse of the process of law.

The judge recalled that the Supreme Court had quashed the case against Tamil film actor Khusboo, whose remarks on pre-marital sex had caused a huge commotion and said the court has to assess the changing conditions of society to arrive at a conclusion on whether the act or the publication is obscene or not.

The judge pointed out that Ms Sabarwal had herself launched separate legal proceedings against the petitioners and issued notices to them. The magazine had apologised to her. Whether that is sufficient or not, whether she wants to take further action is a part her rights, he said.

The judge ruled that the order shall not prejudice the minds of the authorities dealing with such cases.

A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Dilip B. Bhosale and Justice S.V. Bhatt of the Hyderabad High Court on Thursday dismissed a review petition on interim orders permitting its registry to go head with appointments of junior civil judges.

Sarasani Satyam Reddy, senior counsel, had moved the review petition contending that passing orders without hearing him was against the basic principles of law.

The Hyderabad High Court on Thursday asked the three-man committee to commence the auctioning properties belonging to the Agri Gold Group.

The panel said it has selected three companies to conduct e-auction of the properties.