RAMAN KUMAR YADAV Vs. STATE OF BIHAR

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner was, admittedly, an employee of Dainik Jagran Group of Publications, at Muzaffarpur. The dispute between him and Dainik Jagran is pending in Labour Court in relation to the payment of wages. This is evident from the records, particularly, from his statement on Solemn Affirmation (S.A.) recorded by the Court taking cognizance. He has filed four cases against Dainik Jagran, which is a Hindi daily newspaper.

(2.) He filed a complaint petition in the Court of learned Chief Judicial Magistrate, Muzaffarpur, against Opposite Party Nos. 2 , 3 and 4, who are Chairman-cum-Managing Director-cum-Managing Editor, Jagran Prakashan Limited, the Chief General Manager, Dainik Jagran, Patna, and the Associate Editor, Dainik Jagran, Patna, alleging commission of offence punishable under Sections 420, 471 and 476 of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 8-B, 12, 13, 14 and 15 of the Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867 (hereinafter referred to as "the Act"). He alleged in the said complaint petition that the said Hindi Daily newspaper Jagran was initially being printed and published from Patna. The Jagran Publication Limited, in collaboration of the accused persons, started separate edition of the newspaper in the name of Jagran from Muzaffarpur with effect from 18.04.2005, without obtaining registration number from the Press Registrar of India, which, according to him, is mandatory for any newspaper for any periodicity in the country before starting publication of newspaper from a place, separate from the one where it was being originally printed and published. It is also his case that the newspaper is being published in violation of the rules framed by the State Government under Sec. 20 of the Act.

(3.) The gist of the allegation is that the newspaper is being published in violation of provisions of Sections 5 and 6 of the Act.