A Gujarat based organisation named Justice on Trial has filed a case against BBC for its documentary titled ‘India: The Modi Question’.
Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani of the Delhi High Court has recused from hearing a ₹10,000 crore defamation case against British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) for its two-part documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi [Justice on Trial v. British Broadcasting Corporation & Anr].
The case was listed before Justice Bhambhani on Friday, (May 17).
As the case was called, Justice Bhambhani said that the matter will be listed before another judge, subject to the orders of the judge in-charge of the Original Side of Delhi High Court.
A Gujarat-based non-profit named Justice on Trial has filed the case in the High Court arguing that the BBC’s two-part documentary titled India: The Modi Question cast a slur on the reputation of India, its judiciary as well as the Prime Minister.
Justice on Trial has moved the High Court seeking permission to file the defamation suit as an indigent person. The NGO has sought damages of ₹10,000 crore from the BBC.
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 a suit.