Kerala Court imposes Rs 50 lakh fine on anti-Muslim Channel

New Delhi: Sudarshan TV, which is known for its provocative stories, received a big jolt from the court in connection with the publication of fake news. The Kozhikode sub-court II ordered the channel to pay a compensation of Rs 50 lakh. The Diamond Company and its director M.P. Ahammed filed a defamation suit against Sudarshan TV and its editor Suresh Chavhanke for spreading fake news.

The case was heard on Tuesday during which the judge finding the Delhi-based television channel, Sudarshan TV, and its editor Suresh Chavhanke guilty in a defamation suit, ordered Sudarshan TV to pay 50,00,000 rupees towards compensation and court-related expenses to the petitioners.

According to Art of Jewellery, the case was related to morphing a compact disk showing Pakistan’s Independence Day celebrations organized by a Dubai-based financial services company which the channel alleged was organized by Malabar Gold at a function held in Chennai.

The channel had telecast the morphed visuals and the fake news about Malabar Gold on August 20, 2016. Alleging that the channel aired the fake news with ulterior motives at the behest of its business rivals to defame Malabar Gold’s impeccable reputation and show the patriotism of its promoters in poor light, Malabar Gold and its Director MP Ahammed had filed the case against the Channel.

Welcoming the judgement, MP Ahammed said the judgement is the victory of truth and justice.