Non-bailable warrant issued against B.V. Seetaram

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Nov 21, 2012: A city court has issued a non-bailable warrant against director and chairman of Chitra Publications Pvt. Ltd., B.V. Seetaram, which publishes the daily Karavali Ale , in connection with cases filed by Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala in 2004.                

The cases were filed against Mr. Seetaram, his wife, Rohini, who is managing director of the company, and Satish Vaidya, editor of the paper, after the temple management took objection to five articles written in Karavali Ale between October 9 and October 23 in 2004.

The charges included defamation, hurting religious feelings, and insult to a religious institution.

Though the cases were being heard in the III Judicial Magistrate First Class court, Mr. Seetaram approached the Karnataka High Court asking for the proceedings to be quashed.

In 2008, the High Court rejected his plea and the matter lay dormant, said K. Nambiar, Mr. Seetaram’s advocate. “We did not know till Tuesday night when the news was reported to local papers that the cases were active,” he said.

On July 27 this year, advocate P.P. Hegde, representing the temple, brought to the notice of the JMFC, the High Court ruling and subsequently, summons was issued.

Ms. Rohini and Mr. Vaidya were left out of the warrant. Mr. Nambiar denied receiving summons for Mr. Seetaram.

PFI files complaint

Meanwhile, the Popular Front of India filed a complaint at the Surathkal police station on Tuesday alleging defamation after the paper published an article that accused the organisation of giving money to right-wing groups in order to file “frivolous cases” against PFI leaders.

The move, the article said, was to generate publicity for the PFI convention that was held on November 2.

Courtesy: The Hindu