The case before the Court concerned a news article published by Malayala Manorama on February 20, 2017, which reported that a municipal councillor had personally removed the waste materials found lying on the compound of the Advaita Ashram in Aluva.
The councillor alleged that the article was defamatory and filed a defamation case against the newspaper, the article’s reporter and its editor.
A trial court took cognisance of the criminal complaint, which was then challenged before the High Court by the newspaper and its accused employees (petitioners).
The petition before the High Court was opposed by the councillor, whose lawyer argued that the defamatory nature of the article would be evident once the background facts were examined.
On July 31, however, the High Court quashed the case after noting that the publication complained of was merely a factual report that was published without any intent to harm anyone’s reputation.
Source: Barandbench
