Court restrains, reissues summons
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 19 2020: Civil Judge Senior Division Imphal West yesterday reissued summons to remaining defendants who have failed to respond (power file) to the defamation suit filed by Chief Minister N Biren Singh and also fixed the next hearing date on September 7 .

Some of the defendants through their respective counsels had power filed yesterday.

It may be mentioned here that Chief Minister N Biren had filed a defamation suit against 11 people including police officer (NAB) Thounaojam Brinda and editors and publishers of newspapers in the Court of Civil Judge Senior Division Imphal East on July 22 .

Apart from Brinda, publisher of The Morning Bell Laiyamum Bashanta Sharma and editor Rounder Alexander; publisher of Sanaleibak daily Longjam Shyamananda and editor Hemanta Kumar Ningombam; publisher of The New Indian Express GS Vasu, executive editor Rajesh Kumar R and staff correspondent Prashanta Majumdar; Facebook Inc through its CEO; Google INC through its CEO; and Youtube INC through its CEO are the respondents of the defamation suit filed by the CM.

The suit prayed to pass a restraining order against Brinda (Defendant no 1) from making any derogatory and defamatory statements, either in oral or writing in the media including social media platforms against the petitioner.

The petitioner further prayed to restrain agents, officers, partners, employees, associates and all others acting or on behalf of defendants 2-11 from publishing defamatory remarks on electronic and social media, to remove all the defamatory articles posted about the petitioner on the websites and social media platforms and to block all the links with defamatory articles.

For defaming and tarnishing his image, CM Biren also prayed for a compensation of Rs 50 crore each from the eleven defendants and any other others which may deem fit by the Court.

After discussing the case filed by the petitioner, the Court restrained Brinda from making any unsubstantiated and defamatory remarks concerning petitioner orally, reporting or republishing the said allegations.

And for the defendants (2-11) and their associates the Court restrained them from further speaking, publishing or writing any defamatory comment or content in respect of the allegation.

It may also be mentioned here that the defamatory suit has been filed for publishing the counter affidavit (when it was in defective list) submitted by defendant number one Th Brinda in connection with a suo moto criminal contempt case filed against her at the High Court of Manipur.

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