LATHA RAJANIKANTH Vs. STATE OF KARNATAKA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner is before this Court calling in question proceedings in C.C.No.8355 of 2021 pending before I Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Bengaluru arising out of Crime No.217 of 2015 registered for offences punishable under Ss. 196, 199, 420 and 463 read with Sec. 34 of the IPC. The order of taking cognizance dtd. 27/3/2021, for the aforesaid offences, is what drives the petitioner to this Court.

(2.) Shorn of unnecessary details, facts in brief for consideration of the lis, are as follows:-

(3.) It is contended that in order to capitalize the image of the star various media outlets both print and electronic began to get in touch with the petitioner, her family members, her managers etc. seeking her comments on the allegations so made by the complainant. The petitioner made a call to all the media not to publish anything without proper verification. Despite the request of the petitioner, it is contended that the media both electronic and print, began to publish and broadcast information of allegations made by the 2nd respondent/complainant, which according to the petitioner affected her dignity and defamed the name of her family. At that juncture, the petitioner knocked the doors of the civil Court at Bangalore against all the news agencies - 70 in number - seeking a restraint against all the 70 channels in publishing news with regard to allegations made by the complainant upon the petitioner or her family. A suit in O.S.No.9312 of 2014 was filed on 1/12/2014 and a detailed order of injunction was granted in favour of the petitioner on 2/12/2014. The Court again hearing the parties on 13-02- 2015 returned the plaint for want of territorial jurisdiction and consequently, dissolved the order of injunction that was in operation. The petitioner called in question the said order before this Court in M.F.A.No.2879 of 2015 which also came to be dismissed on 24/2/2016 for default. Both these orders have become final.