Delhi High Court summons ANI in defamation case over news report on man giving Triple Talaq to wife

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued summons to Asia News International (ANI) after a man filed a defamation against the news agency for carrying an interview with his wife in which she falsely claimed that she was given Triple Talaq (instant divorce) for not giving birth to a male child..The petitioner Dr Danish Hashim argued that he belongs to the Shia sect of Islam and that Triple talaq is not recognised as a form of divorce in the community. Therefore, he claimed that the allegations made against him are false and defamatory..Justice Prathiba M Singh heard the matter and issued notices on the interim relief application as well.Summons and notices have been issued to Hashim’s wife Huma, as well as their daughter.The Court noted that since the news report has been available since 2021, it will hear the defendants and then consider passing an order. The matter will be heard next on March 20..In January 2021, ANI had published a story and a video interview of Huma Hashim, where she claimed that she had been married to Danish Hashim for nearly 20 years but was given Triple Talaq after she failed to give birth to a son. She claimed that she was forced to undergo several abortions and that her husband had beaten her up as well.Human Hashim said that she had approached Delhi’s Saket Court with a complaint..In his suit, Danish Hashim claimed that he had separated from his wife in 2020 and that the allegation that he gave Triple Talaq to his wife is not born out of truth. He said that no legal divorce has taken place at all in terms of Shia personal law.He said that the news report and the video interview have been available on ANI since January 2021 and their continued existence is causing him grave prejudice in his personal and professional life. .The Court considered the case and asked Danish Hashim's counsel to delete ANI's Chairman, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Director from the array of parties..Earlier, Danish Hashim had filed a writ petition seeking directions to ANI as well as a host of other media houses to take down the allegedly defamatory posts. However, last year, the plea was disposed of and he was granted liberty to file a civil suit..The defamation suit has been filed through Advocate Jayant Bhatt.