PM Modi documentary: Gujarat based non-profit files ₹10,000 crore defamation suit before Delhi High Court against BBC

The Gujarat based non-profit organisation, Justice on Trial has filed a defamation suit before the Delhi High Court against the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) claiming that BBC's two-part documentary titled 'India: The Modi Question' cast a slur on the reputation of India, its judiciary as well as Prime Minister..Single-judge Justice Sachin Datta issued limited notice on Monday on the application by the petitioner seeking permission to file the suit as an indigent person. The NGO has sought damages of ₹10,000 crores from BBC. "It is contended that the said documentary/publication contains content which casts a slur on the reputation of the country and also makes false and defamatory imputations and insinuations against the Prime Minister of India, the Indian Judiciary and the Indian criminal justice system... It is averred that the aforesaid conduct of the respondents is actionable," the Court noted. Issue notice to the respondents through all permissible modes returnable on September 25, the Court ordered. Indigent person is one who does not have financial wherewithal or resources. Order XXXIII of the Code of Civil Procedure deals with filing of suits by indigent persons. It says that a suit can be instituted by an indigent person if he does not have sufficient means to pay the fee prescribed by law for the plaint in such suit. .Senior Advocate Harish Salve appeared for the organisation and said that the documentary has defamed India and the whole system including the judiciary..Previously, a district court in Delhi had issued summons to the BBC on a defamation suit filed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Binay Kumar Singh in relation to its documentary. Singh had moved the Court stating that though the documentary has been banned by the Indian government, a Wikipedia page dedicated to the series provides links to watch it and that the content is still available on Internet Archive.Singh had, therefore, prayed for an injunction against BBC, Wikimedia and Internet Archive to restrain them from publishing the documentary or any other material against the RSS and VHP ..In its response to that plea, the BBC had argued that the court did not have the jurisdiction to deal with the defamation case.That case is now listed it for arguments on May 26..In April, the Delhi High Court had set aside a Delhi University (DU) order barring National Students' Union of India (NSUI) national secretary Lokesh Chugh from the university for allegedly organising the screening of the documentary. .Note: The earlier version of the story said that summons as issued to the BBC on the suit itself. However, the Court order shows that only notice has been issued to the broadcaster on the application by the plaintiff, seeking permission to file the suit an indigent person under Order XXXIII of the CPC. The story has been modified to rectify the error.