A legal notice of defamation on the Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of the India Today Group, for “demeaning” the tragic loss of Indian Cinema artist, Sushant Singh Rajput has been served by Mohit Singh, Practicing Advocate of the Delhi High Court.
Aaj Tak news channel of the India Today Group flashed a Headline, allegedly comparing the death of the actor Sushant Singh Rajput with a “hit-wicket” during a cricket match on June 14, 2020
“By this comment, Aaj Tak has insinuated that the death of Mr. Sushant by suicide is equivalent to that of a batsman in cricket who breaks his own wicket with his bat or any part of his person while playing the ball or setting off for a run. The careless use of such language portrays that the news channel, Aaj Tak, with its high viewership, has shed its responsibility towards the Indian masses,” read the notice.
Post-mortem of the actor Sushnat Singh Rjaput body is pending and the cause of his death is not yet clear so the news telecasted by the channel is speculative, uncorroborated and “casts aspersions” on the actor’s integrity, told Singh.
The news channel has also “normalized” the act of suicide by Sushant Singh Rajput by negligently commenting on an event of a critical nature, said Singh.
“The words used, carry the imputation that the act of committing suicide is an act of cowardice and is one to be looked down upon. Such doings of public platforms, especially one which has a high viewership, has the power of causing boundless pain to a large chunk of the Indian society,” stated the notice in case of Sushant Singh Rajput defamation.
Acts of offence like Defamation punishable under Section 500 IPC had been constituted by the news channel.
The news channel was asked to retract its statement and issue an unconditional apology “for promoting and spreading misinformation about the mental health issues“, failing which apposite legal action against the India Today Group would be taken by Singh.
“By this Legal Notice, you are hereby required to retract the abovementioned statement, as well as any other statement of the similar nature published/displayed on your channel, and issue an unconditional public apology, for your vexatious act. The said apology should include that you take full responsibility of the mistake committed by your channel and that the news of suicide is a mere comment by the police and that the post-mortem report is awaited,” expressed the notice.
Read Notice
