Do not air defamatory news against PMK: Madras high court to TV channel
Chennai: The Madras high court has restrained the New Generation Media Corporation (NGMC) (p) Ltd, Pachamuthu Sathyanarayanan, managing director of NGMC and Parivendar alias T.R.Pachamuthu, founder president of India Jananayaga Katchi (IJK) from publishing/telecasting any news item or daily debates in Puthiyathalaimurai TV channel" or in any other form containing false or defamatory allegations against the Pattali Makkal Katchi party, its founder leader and its youth wing president.
Justice R.Subramanian granted the interim injunction till April 2 and ordered notice to the NGMC, Pachamuthu Sathyanarayanan and Parivendar alias Pachamuthu, on a suit filed by G.K.Mani, president of PMK.
Plaintiff's counsel K.Balu submitted that Puthiathalaimurai TV channel was acting against its media ethics and were also acting against the regulations and provisions of Press Council Act. After June 2016, no news item was telecast about the PMK party by the Channel till first week of February 2019 which was against the journalism and ethics. After the alliance was formed by the PMK party with AIADMK and BJP, the channel has started to telecast defamatory statements against the PMK party and its leaders to defame and spoil their reputation.
There could not be no iota of truth in the statements in the debate telecast on March 3, 2019, as well as the video uploaded in the Youtube that the same were defamatory. The allegations leveled in the news items were clearly intending to spoil the reputation of PMK party and also the averments in the interview were intentional attempt to cause damage to the PMK party. The statements were false, concocted and were aimed at maligning the integrity of the PMK's party leaders, Balu added.
Balu said the channel owes a duty to act fairly and reasonably. It cannot act recklessly and in an irresponsible way. The channel has deliberately made false defamatory allegations against the PMK party which was irresponsible and most uncharitable. The PMK has reasonable apprehensions that the channel may continue to telecast and publish defamatory news items/interviews affecting the image and reputation of PMK party in the forthcoming Lok Sabha Election 2019.
If the Channel was allowed to continue with this kind of statements and telecasting news containing false and defamatory allegations against the PMK party and its leaders, the PMK party image will be greatly affected and the leaders will be put to irreparable loss, injury, damage and hardship. Hence, it will be in the interest of justice to grant a decree for permanent injunction against the NGMC, Pachamuthu Sathyanarayanan and Parivendar alias Pachamuthu, he added.
