HC restrains sale of book on Ramdev till removal of defamatory portion

The Delhi High Court on Saturday restrained the publication and sale the book 'Godman to Tycoon: The Untold Story of Baba Ramdev' until the publisher deletes some defamatory portion written against Baba Ramdev.

Justice Anu Malhotra, in her 211-page order, observed that the right to freedom of speech and expression does not permit using defamatory insinuations against the yoga guru.

The court was hearing Ramdev's plea challenging the order of the trial court, which lifted the ban on publication and sale of 'Godman to Tycoon: The Untold Story of Baba Ramdev.'

In April, the trial court lifted the interim injunction on the publication and sale of the book.

The publication and sale of the book had been restrained on August 4, 2017.

The publisher claims in the plea that the book provides an in-depth look into how Ramdev's Patanjali "actually" works.

The High Court said that Ramdev is entitled to be treated with dignity and has a right of social reputation as an ordinary citizen even if he is a public figure.

"...Portions of the book which make readers think that he is an ambitious villain, until so proved in the court of law, are necessarily to be restrained from being published and distributed for sale till disposal of the suit ...pending before the civil judge, Karkardooma Courts Delhi," Justice Malhotra said.

The court observed that if some portions of the book continue to be in operation, then it will cause irreparable loss to Ramdev.

The court has ordered deletion of contents related to disappearance of Swami Shankar Dev Ji and the murder of the Swami Yogananda observing no matetial evidence is indicated or exists against Ramdev in relation to these two issues.

The court also observed that the court concerned has already accepted the closure report in these two matters.

--IANS

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