Bengaluru court orders removal of defamatory content in Dharmasthala burials case against Dr. Veerendra Heggade, temple, and family; next crucial hearing scheduled on September 27.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!
Bengaluru: A Bengaluru court has issued a fresh interim order in the high-profile Dharmasthala burials case, directing media portals, YouTube channels, and other entities to take down allegedly defamatory content against the Dharmasthala temple, its Dharmadhikari Dr. D Veerendra Heggade, and his family.
The order was passed on August 29 by Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge Anitha M after a hearing in a defamation suit filed by the Secretary of Sri Manjunathaswamy Temple institutions in Dharmasthala. The plaintiff had approached the court against certain media reports and videos that linked the temple administration to sensational allegations made by a sanitation worker.
Court’s Directions
In her order, Judge Anitha M directed,
“(Defendants except those who are yet to be served summons or notice and those against whom suit is not pressed) are hereby directed by way of mandatory injunction not to transmit/telecast videos/URLs mentioned/specified in the schedule of the application till the disposal of the suit.”
The court also issued an interim injunction restraining further publication of defamatory or reckless content regarding the institution.
Background of the Case
The defamation suit stems from claims made by a sanitation worker alleging that several bodies had been buried in Dharmasthala. However, the worker was later arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) for perjury after inconsistencies were found in his statements.
Earlier, in July, Additional City Civil & Sessions Judge Vijaya Kumar Rai had passed a sweeping media gag order in the matter. Judge Rai had observed that false allegations against the temple could impact not just the reputation of individuals but also the functioning of various institutions run under the temple’s umbrella, including schools and colleges.
However, this gag order triggered multiple legal challenges. YouTube channel Kudla Rampage approached the Supreme Court, which refused to intervene and advised filing an appeal before the Karnataka High Court. The High Court subsequently quashed the gag order against Kudla Rampage. The temple administration then moved to the Supreme Court, but the apex court again refused to directly interfere.
Meanwhile, The News Minute also filed a plea before the Karnataka High Court challenging the gag order. Before the matter could proceed, Judge Rai recused himself from the case, and Judge Anitha M took over. On August 6, Judge Anitha M decided not to extend the gag order, leading the High Court to close The News Minute’s petition as infructuous.
ALSO READ: Dharmasthala Temple Burial | Karnataka High Court Quashes Trial Court’s Media Gag Order
Despite lifting the gag order earlier, Judge Anitha M has now, upon reconsideration of the temple secretary’s plea, directed the takedown of specific flagged publications that were allegedly defamatory, baseless, and damaging to the reputation of the temple and its Dharmadhikari.
The case will next be heard on September 27.
Case Title:
Harshendra Kumar D v. Mahesh Shetty Alias Ravi and ors
Click Here to Read More Reports On the Dharmasthala Mass Burial Case