Nagpur: The Nagpur Civil Court has issued summons to legal news portal Live Law and its editorial team in a ₹900 crore defamation suit filed by Advocate Partho Sarkar. Also Mr. Sarkar represents Mr. Satish Salian, the father of late Disha Salian in a writ petition filed before Bombay High Court.
Adv. Sarkar in his suit for defamation has alleged that the on-line platform of Livelaw is actively engaged in malicious and defamatory reporting that harmed his professional reputation.
Alongside the main suit, the court has also issued notice on an Interim Application seeking the attachment of properties owned by Live Law, its concerned editor, and reporter Mr. Narsi Benwal. The application further seeks the detention of the individuals involved until a bank guarantee of ₹900 crores is furnished.
The suit accuses Live Law of a pattern of selective and distorted reporting, especially in coverage of high-profile cases. It claims that reports published by the platform omitted key facts, twisted court observations, and failed to reflect the correct perspectives of the cases.
The cause of action in filing a civil suit arose from a particular report on proceedings before Justice Madhav Jamdar of the Bombay High Court. Advocate Sarkar contends that Live Law misrepresented the contents of a court order by suggesting that there was a judicial reference to an alleged offer of cash by him in a flat transaction involving Adv. Sarkar and Justice Jamdar—an allegation that, according to the suit, does not feature in the order itself.
The plaintiff argues that such factually incorrect reporting has seriously damaged his reputation and was published without due diligence or an opportunity to respond.
Notably, the suit comes amid a series of contempt petitions already pending before the Bombay High Court against Live Law, filed by Mr. Satish Salian, Mr. Mursalin Sheikh, and Mr. Rashid Khan Pathan. These petitions similarly raise concerns over prejudicial reporting, interference with judicial proceedings, and the publication of misleading content on sub judice matters.
The outcome of this defamation suit and the interim relief application could have far-reaching implications for legal journalism in India, potentially shaping the responsibilities of media outlets in reporting on ongoing judicial proceedings.
Source: Rashidkhanpathan
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