Another BJP leader gets gag order against media; Bangalore court restrains media from publishing "false news"about Minister DV Sadananda Gowda

A Bangalore court has restrained media outlets from publishing or circulating "false, baseless and reckless news items" against Union Minister DV Sadananda Gowda. .Additional City Civil Judge Mallikarjuna passed the order on a plea preferred by Gowda alleging that concocted news items are being published about him alleging he spoke ill about the Prime Minister and Karnataka Chief Minister. "The defendants are hereby restrained from publishing, circulating false, baseless and reckless news items against the plaintiff in their respective medias by way of exparte ad-interim Temporary Injunction till next date of hearing," the order said. .Earlier this year, the City Civil Court had, in March, restrained sixty-seven media houses from airing or publishing any defamatory content against six Karnataka ministers belonging to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in relation to the alleged sex-for-job scandal that rocked the State.Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge, Abdulrahiman A Nandgadi had granted ex-parte ad-interim injunction in favour of the six ministers and restrained media houses from publishing or telecasting in a negative or sarcastic manner, contents of the CD which led to the scandal.The Karnataka High Court had also ordered that TV news channels while reporting news relating to sex scandal should strictly abide by the ''Programme Code' which regulates television content..Gowda, currently serving as the Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers, stated in his plea that media outlets have started publishing false and frivolous news items and are making reckless allegations against the plaintiff without there being any justification or documentary evidence in support of their statements.Such news items are being circulated by people with vested interests so that he is removed from the post of minister during cabinet reshuffle. The act of the defendants is causing damage to the reputation of the plaintiff and it is adversely affect the close associates of the plaintiff and his family members so also it will affect badly on his political career, he contended. .The Court agreed that it interim relief is not granted, such news items may lead to irreparable loss of reputation to Gowda. Hence, it dispensed with requirement of prior notice and granted temporary injunction. .[Read Order]