New Delhi: The Supreme Court has refused to quash a criminal defamation complaint filed by Kannada actress and former Member of Parliament Divya Spandana alias Ramya against TV network, Asia News Network and journalist Vishweshar Bhat for defaming her and telecasting a news show which depicts Ramya to be involved in cricket betting and spot fixing.
Rejecting Asia News Network’s plea to quash criminal defamation proceedings, a bench headed by the Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said, “She was repeatedly shown in the bulletins, you have shown her photos and videos in your bulletin, how can we quash the complaint.”
Divya Spandana had lodged a criminal complaint against TV network in 2013
Divya Spandana had lodged a criminal complaint against the TV network in 2013, wherein she said that on 31st May, 2013, the Asia News Network had telecast a news programme by the name of ‘Betting Raniyaru’ (Betting Queens) and while the news was telecast, there was an imputation of involvement of a Kannada film actresses in the cricket betting and spot fixing scandal. And while the news was telecast, the TV network time and again named and showed photos and videos of of Divya Sapndana during the news telecast.
Spandana later filed a criminal defamation complaint in Bengaluru alleging that the news was telecast in such a manner, as if Spandana was one of the person who was involved in the alleged cricket betting or spot fixing scandal.
Act of TV network, journalist Bhat had caused a serious dent on my image, reputation: Divya Spandana
According to Spandana, the act of the TV network and journalist Bhat had caused a serious dent on her image and reputation and the people in film industry have made enquiry with her with regard to the correctness of the news that was telecast.
Earlier this year, the Karnataka High Court, too, had dismissed the plea by the TV network and said that the network had not produced any material before the court to show or suggest that the news telecast by them was correct.
