Defamatory news: PFI complains to NBSA against 3 TV channels

Media Release

November 25, 2017

New Delhi, Nov 25: Popular Front of India has filed complaints against the TV channels India Today, Aajtak and Times Now for telecasting defamatory news about the organisation, before the National Broadcasting Standards Authority (NBSA) which is a self-regulatory body headed by Justice R.V. Raveendran.

In a release issued here PFI claimed that India Today, Aajtak and Times Now have been continuously telecasting the myths, false allegations, blanket lies, substandard news against the Popular Front with ulterior motives. They were trying to pose the organization in the bad light among the public.

NBSA administers the Codes of Ethics & Broadcasting Standards, which has been voluntarily drawn by the News Broadcasters Association (NBA) for its member broadcasters to demonstrate their commitment to responsible broadcasting and to self regulate themselves. It says in its code that channels should also strive not to broadcast anything which is obviously defamatory or libelous. News channels must ensure that allegations are not portrayed as fact and charges are not conveyed as an act of guilt.

But none of these norms were followed by these three channels while leveling certain allegations against Popular Front. In contra, they have conducted the media trial and passed judgments, which is unfair, unethical and against principle of natural justice. Instead of maintaining the neutrality, they were serving for the fulfillment of particular interests. The dignity of the organisation was damaged through the political vendetta of these channels. It is crystal clear that they were attempting to create religious hatred among the public.

Prior to initiating these complaints, as the part of the process, the General Secretary of Popular Front of India Mr. Mohamed Ali Jinnah had sent letters to these channels two weeks back requesting to tender an unconditional apology to be aired and to withdraw the false allegations.

Since, they didn’t respond, he filed the complaints before the NBAC. “Our legal fight against the unethical, substandard false propagations of any such media will continue. No democracy permits such media trials, which creates prejudiced public opinion. They pretend themselves as the judges by evading the principles of natural justice” - Mr. Jinnah said.

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HC refuses to quash probe against Mangaluru WhatsApp admin over offensive posts

News Network

February 1,2026

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has refused to quash an investigation against a WhatsApp group administrator accused of allowing the circulation of obscene and offensive images depicting Hindutva politicians and idols in 2021.

Justice M Nagaprasanna observed that, prima facie, the ingredients of the offence under Section 295A of the Indian Penal Code were made out. “The offence under Section 295A of the IPC is met to every word of its ingredient, albeit prima facie,” the judge said.

The petitioner, Sirajuddin, a resident of Belthangady taluk in Dakshina Kannada district, had challenged the FIR registered against him at the CEN (Cyber, Economics and Narcotics) police station, Mangaluru, for offences under Section 295A of the IPC and Section 67 of the Information Technology Act. Section 295A relates to punishment for deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage the religious feelings of any class of citizens.

According to the complaint filed by K Jayaraj Salian, also a resident of Belthangady taluk, he received a WhatsApp group link from an unknown source and was added to the group after accessing it. The group reportedly had six administrators and around 250 participants, where obscene and offensive images depicting Hindu deities and certain political figures were allegedly circulated repeatedly.

Sirajuddin was arrested in connection with the case and later released on bail on February 16, 2021. He argued before the court that he was being selectively targeted, while other administrators—including the creator of the group—were neither arrested nor investigated. He also contended that the Magistrate could not have taken cognisance of the offence under Section 295A without prior sanction under Section 196(1) of the CrPC.

Rejecting the argument, Justice Nagaprasanna held that prior sanction is required only at the stage of taking cognisance, and not at the stage of registration of the crime or during investigation.

The judge noted that the State had produced the entire investigation material before the court. “A perusal of the material reveals depictions of Hindu deities in an extraordinarily obscene, demeaning and profane manner. The content is such that its reproduction in a judicial order would itself be inappropriate,” the court said, adding that the material, on its face, had the tendency to outrage religious feelings and disturb communal harmony.

Observing that the case was still at the investigation stage, the court said it could not interdict the probe at this juncture. However, it expressed concern that the investigating officer appeared to have not proceeded uniformly against all administrators. The court clarified that if the investigation revealed the active involvement of any member in permitting the circulation of such content, they must also be proceeded against.

“At this investigative stage, any further observation by this Court would be unnecessary,” the order concluded.

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