M NARAYANASWAMY Vs. G K MANJAPPAYYA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner is arraigned as accused No.3 in C.C.Nos.775/2012, 774/2012 and 9/2012. The said cases were registered against the petitioner based on the private complaints filed by the respondents herein alleging commission of offence punishable under Sections 500, 501 and 502 of the Indian Penal Code.

(2.) The case of the complainants is that, accused No.1 being the "Editor", accused No.2 being the "Reporter" and accused No.3 (petitioner) herein being the "Honorary Editor" published a defamatory article against the respondents in the weekly magazine by name 'Duniya'.

(3.) Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that baseless and omnibus allegation is made in the complaints alleging that at the instance of accused Nos.1 to 3, the said defamatory article was published. Going by the averments made in the complaints, the petitioner was only a "Honorary Editor" and is not liable to answer the charges for the alleged publication. The knowledge of the contents of the publication cannot be imputed to the Honorary Editor.