Bengaluru Court Restrains Media From Publishing BJP MLA Sanjeeva Matandoor's "Morphed" Pictures
A City Civil Court in Bengaluru has passed an ex-parte interim injunction order, restraining the media from publishing allegedly 'morphed' pictures of BJP leader Sanjeeva Matandoor, ahead of Assembly polls in the state.The Legislator filed a suit stating that election is nearing and his party is supposed to announce his candidature to Puttur MLA constituency. However, some miscreants with...
A City Civil Court in Bengaluru has passed an ex-parte interim injunction order, restraining the media from publishing allegedly 'morphed' pictures of BJP leader Sanjeeva Matandoor, ahead of Assembly polls in the state.
The Legislator filed a suit stating that election is nearing and his party is supposed to announce his candidature to Puttur MLA constituency. However, some miscreants with intent to damage his reputation in the eye of the public, have morphed his photograph with some strange women and started sharing in digital media.
Matandoor said if the said act is carried out, it would cause damage to his reputation which cannot be compensated in any manner, for the reason that the politicians will bank on their reputation and character as an asset in the elections.
The court on considering the averments made said “If the above submission made by the plaintiff is considered, this court is of the opinion that if the defendants media’s based on the unverified information obtained from the miscreants would proceed to telecast the news with morphed photograph and videos that would causes irreparable hardship to the character and reputation of the plaintiff.”
It added “Thus this court is of the opinion that, the plaintiff made out the prima facie case that in all likelihood the defendants media would publish the unverified defamatory news and articles and also will telecast the videos. In that event the amount of damages caused to the reputation of the plaintiff in the public life cannot be compensated in any manner.”
Accordingly it passed the temporary injunction order restraining the defendants from telecasting or broadcasting or printing any news with regard to the BJP leader and showing live images, still images and visuals which are defamatory in nature until disposal on merits.
The matter has now been posted on June 26.
Case Title: Sanjeeva Matandoor And BTV News & Others
Case No: OS 2360/2023
Appearance: Advocate Rahul Rai K for appellant.