HC allows media house to publish article on CAG report on DIAL

The court dismissed the plea of Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) seeking a restraint order against Hindustan Times daily from publishing the articles on the ground that the CAG report is under examination by PAC

The Delhi High Court today allowed a media house to publish articles based on the CAG report pertaining to the implementation of public private partnership at IGI Airport here.

The court dismissed the plea of Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) seeking a restraint order against Hindustan Times daily from publishing the articles on the ground that the CAG report is under examination by Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

DIAL had also contended that the prospective article would discuss in detail the merits of various issues which are pending before the PAC which will interfere in the administration of parliamentary process.

".... No irreparable loss shall be caused to the plaintiff (DIAL) if the defendants (HT Media Ltd) are allowed to publish the article on the lines which is already published many a time as the proceedings are already pending before PAC which shall be giving its report unbound by any publication after analysing the CAG report as per the rules and maintaining the confidentiality," Justice Manmohan Singh said, rejecting DIAL's plea for a stay order against the daily.

The court also imposed costs of Rs 20,000 on DIAL for concealing the fact that a PIL, filed by an NGO, on the same issue is pending before a division bench of this high court.

"The plaintiff (DIAL) is also burdened with costs of 20,000 to be deposited in the Prime Minister Relief Fund within two weeks from today for not disclosing the facts of pending writ petition in this court and not specially providing the full details of publishing all articles on the CAG report along with plaint,"the judgement said.