Lawyer seeks apology from Mathrubhumi Daily for publishing Defamatory Cartoon on Lawyers [Read Notice]

A Lawyer Notice has been served on Mathrubhumi, a vernacular National daily of Kerala, for publishing a cartoon on 22-7-16 showing the lawyers band in an insulting and improper manner. The cartoon titled ‘Government pleadanam’ shows that the two oblong pieces of the band ,  one of them being shown as lawyer and other  shown as a lady. The lawyer is depicted as  trying to attack/grab  the lady in another .

In the lawyer notice sent by Advocate Sri Surendran, it has been stated:- “ The cartoon caused or tended to cause very person to believe and understand that every male lawyer in robs though appear as a gentleman, in fact he is a womanizer when the black coat is explored . It also depicts that the formation of lawyer’s bands is by way of assault by a male on female. On seeing the above-mentioned cartoon, I felt very much insulted and offended by the way in which the entire male lawyer community in  Kerala has been presented before the general public. Lawyer’s bands considered the insignia of the profession of advocacy and judiciary alike. An insult to the lawyer’s bands is nothing  but an insult to the entire lawyers , whether male or female . The imputation in the subject cartoon is concerning the collection of lawyers  in Kerala as such defamatory. The imputation directly and indirectly , in the estimation of general public, lowered the moral character of the entire lawyers in Kerala, and lowered their credit. The publication caused it to believe that all male lawyers in Kerala are in  loathsome state and dreadful.”

The lawyer notice further states that the above action  amounts to offences punishable under section 501,502 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code. The notice hence  demanded  an apology from the daily by causing the same to be published in the form of a cartoon on the cover page wherein the first cartoon was published with the same space and size. The same shall have to be done within a period of 10 days from receipt of the notice, failing which appropriate legal proceedings shall be initiated in the due course, the notice stated.

Read the notice here.