HDK case against TV reporter quashed

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Monday quashed an FIR registered against a TV news reporter in November 2018 for ‘falsely reporting’ the news regarding the then chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy.

The Janata Dal (Secular) party’s Bengaluru unit President R Prakash had registered a complaint against the private TV channel alleging false reporting. The complaint named Dasharath, a reporter and the Chief Editor of the private news channel.

According to the complaint the TV channel had aired false report while Mr Kumaraswamy visited Hassan and Mysuru on November 28, 2018 to attending public events.

“Mr Kumaraswamy is healthy and has been carrying out his day-to-day activities. He works for 14 to 16 hours a day. However, Dasharath has falsely reported that Kumaraswamy is suffering from health problems, and tried to create panic among the people,” the complaint stated. Based on this complaint an FIR was registered at the High Grounds Police Station in Bengaluru under sections 120B (criminal conspiracy to commit an offence), 153 (wantonly giving provocation with the intent to provoke a riot), and 505 (statements conducting public mischief).

The TV news channel had reported that Kumaraswamy was set to resign from his position due to health reasons, and the JD(S) leader had dismissed it as ‘far from the truth’. The complaint, while seeking legal action against the reporter, also said that it created a black spot in Kumaraswamy’s political career, as the false news also maligned the reputation of the party.

The High Court while quashing the FIR observed that the complainant has not appeared for hearing even after the directions of the lower court and it appears as if the case has been registered over personal enmity.