Docu on PM Modi: Delhi HC issues notice to BBC on plea seeking to file suit as an ‘indigent person’

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday issued a notice to the British Broadcasting Company (BBC) on a plea by a Gujarat-based Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) seeking to file the suit as an ‘indigent person’.

The NGO ‘Justice on Trial’ has contended that the two-volume documentary/publication contains content which “casts a slur” on the reputation of the country and also makes false and defamatory imputations and insinuations against the Prime Minister of India, the Indian Judiciary and the Indian criminal justice system.

The High Court has sought BBC’s response on this application.

The order copy reads, “The plaintiff (NGO), which is stated to be a society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 and also registered as a Public trust under the provisions of the Bombay Public Trust, 1950, has filed the present suit for damages, invoking Order XXXIII of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, seeking permission to file as an indigent person.

“It is averred that the aforesaid conduct of the respondents is actionable

and has made them liable to damages, as claimed in the suit.”

Justice Sachin Datta then issued notice to the respondents.

Earlier in another case related to the documentary, a Delhi court had issued summons to the BBC, Wikimedia Foundation, and the US-based digital library Internet Archive in a defamation suit filed by BJP leader Binay Kumar Singh seeking to restrain them from publishing the documentary or any other material related to the RSS and VHP.

–IANS