K'taka: Court issues interim restraining order on spreading defamatory content on Dharmasthala temple

Bengaluru, July 21 (IANS) A Bengaluru civil court has issued an interim restraining order to prevent individuals and media outlets from spreading defamatory content against the Dharmasthala temple, its religious head D. Veerendra Heggade, and his family.

The order was passed by the 11th Additional City Civil and Sessions Court while hearing a plea filed by D. Harshendra Kumar.

The plea sought an injunction against Mahesh Shetty Timarodi, Girish Mattannavar, and YouTuber M.D. Sameer and certain media platforms. The defendants were accused of disseminating false and derogatory statements against the temple and its head.

The court stated that this is an exceptional case wherein some media and individuals started making false and derogatory allegations against the plaintiff and his family members, and also against Sri Manjunathaswamy temple along with various institutions run by it, without any basis.

"The pleading indicates that in respect of a criminal incident of rape and murder that took place on October 9, 2012, allegations are made against the plaintiff, his family members and institutions for which the plaintiff is a Secretary. It was a case registered in the Belthangady police station against one Santhosh Rao, wherein the investigation was handed over to the CBI, and after investigation, the charge sheet was filed against Santhosh Rao, which is stated to have ended in acquittal and even confirmed by the High Court of Karnataka. It is contended by the plaintiff that the entire allegation made against the plaintiff, the institutions and his family members were proved to be false by the investigation conducted by the CBI," the court observed.

Now, it is stated that another FIR is registered and false, baseless, reckless and defamatory allegations are made against the plaintiff, his family members, the institutions under their charge and the temple also, the court noted.

"The copy of the FIR produced before the court shows that the first informant was a sanitation worker under the village panchayat. In the FIR, the first information merely stated that he had buried various dead bodies within the limits of Dharmasthala. In the entire FIR, there is no allegation against the plaintiff, his family members or any of the institutions run by the temple administration. It is contended that though there is no allegation, defamatory and false allegations without any basis are made and such allegations are seriously affecting the reputation of the plaintiff, his family members and temple," the court noted.

In its order, the court stated, "the defendants are directed to by way of ad-interim mandatory injunction to delete/de-index all defamatory contents and information against the plaintiff, his family members, institutions run by the family of the plaintiff and Sri Manjunathaswamy temple, Dharmasthala either by digital media or print media of any kind until further orders."

--IANS

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