India News | Delhi Court Summons Odisha-based Channel's MD, Editor-in-chief in Defamation Case by BJD MP

New Delhi, Jan 24 (PTI) A court here on Tuesday summoned the managing director and the editor-in-chief of Odisha Television Limited in a criminal complaint filed by BJD MP Anubhav Mohanty for allegedly defaming him.

Metropolitan Magistrate Yashdeep Chahal directed the accused to appear before it on March 27, saying it was of the view that they "prima facie" commute the offence.

Also Read | Uttar Pradesh Building Collapse: Residential Building Collapses in Lucknow, Many Feared Trapped (See Pics, Video).

"Having gone through the complaint as well as the evidence led at the pre-summoning stage, I am of the prima facie view that the accused persons have committed the offences punishable under section 500 (defamation) read with 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code," the judge said.

The judge noted that the submissions made by advocate Ashwani Kumar Dubey, who claimed on behalf of the complainant that the accused, also including the television company, made several defamatory statements against the actor-turned-politician on various public platforms, including Youtube, and e-mail.

Also Read | Killer Joined Private Facebook Group To Target Pregnant Ladies in Bizarre Unborn Baby Stealing Incident.

In his complaint, the MP had claimed that the accused had "intentionally and knowingly" indulged in the circulation and telecast of various false stories and articles about him "with the sole objective of harming his reputation and goodwill".

It was also claimed that the accused persons had initiated a "false propaganda" against the complainant in order to jeopardise its political career.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)