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Delhi HC summons BBC in defamation suit for documentary on PM Modi

The Delhi High Court on Monday issued summons to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on a defamation suit filed by an NGO claiming that its documentary cast a slur on the reputation of India, its judiciary and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Besides the BBC (UK), Justice Sachin Datta also issued notice to the BBC (India) seeking its response on the suit filed by Gujarat-based NGO Justice for Trial. The plea said BBC (India) is the local operation office and BBC (UK) has released the documentary -- "India: The Modi Question" -- which has two episodes. Senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing for the NGO, said the suit for defamation against the BBC is in relation to the documentary which has "defamed" India and the whole system including the judiciary. He contended that the documentary also makes insinuation against the prime minister. It was argued on behalf of the plaintiff that the documentary makes defamatory imputation and cast slur on the reputation of the country. The h

Documentary row: BBC says court doesn't have jurisdiction to try case

The BBC and Wikimedia Foundation Thursday submitted in a Delhi court that it does not have jurisdiction to try a criminal complaint filed by a BJP leader seeking to restrain them from publishing a documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots, or any other material defamatory to the RSS and Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP). The court had on May 3 issued summonses to the BBC, Wikimedia and Internet Archive on the criminal complaint. According to complainant Vinay Kumar Singh, the two-part BBC documentary "India: The Modi Question" had defamed organisations like the BJP, RSS and VHP. "Counsel for defendants no. 1 (BBC) and 2 (Wikimedia Foundation) submit that they are appearing under protest as they have not been served properly as defendants are foreign entities. Further, counsel for defendants... submit that this court does not have the jurisdiction to try the present matter," Additional District Judge (ADJ) Ruchika Singla noted. The court further noted the submissions by the counsel for the .

Documentary row: Delhi court summons BBC, others on defamation complaint

A Delhi court on Wednesday issued summonses to the BBC, Wikimedia and Internet Archive on a criminal complaint filed by a BJP leader seeking to restrain them from publishing a documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots, or any other material defamatory to the RSS and Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP). The complainant had said the BBC documentary "India: The Modi Question" has defamed organisations like the BJP, RSS and VHP. The court was told that though the documentary has been banned by the government, a Wikipedia page dedicated to the series provides links to watch it and that the content is still available on Internet Archive. Wikimedia Foundation funds Wikipedia while Internet Archive is a US-based digital library. "Issue summons of the suit for settlement of issues to the defendant (BBC, Wikimedia and Internet Archive)," Additional District Judge (ADJ) Ruchika Singla said, posting the matter for May 11. Complainant Vinay Kumar Singh said he is a state executive committee member of the

BBC chairman quits amid furore over role in Boris Johnson loan in 2021

The chairman of the BBC quit Friday after a report found he breached government rules governing public appointments. The publicly funded national broadcaster has been under pressure after it was revealed that Sharp, a Conservative Party donor, helped arrange a loan for then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson in 2021, weeks before he was appointed to the BBC post on the government's recommendation. Sharp said he was quitting to prioritize the interests of the BBC after making an inadvertent breach of the rules. A report on the incident by senior lawyer Adam Heppinstall is due to be published on Friday.

HC sets aside DU order debarring student over screening of BBC documentary

The Delhi Court on Thursday set aside a Delhi University order debarring an NSUI leader for a year for his alleged involvement in the screening on the campus a controversial BBC documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots. Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav said action against Lokesh Chugh, a PhD scholar and NSUI national secretary, was taken in violation of the principle of natural justice, and "reasons are necessary to be assigned by the administrative authority" in the order. "The court is unable to sustain the impugned order dated March 10, 2023. Impugned order is set aside. The admission of the petitioner is restored. Necessary consequences will follow," the judge ordered. Attorney General R Venkataramani represented the university and opposed the petition. The court clarified that since the debarment order was being set aside for a lack of adherence to the principle of natural justice, the university is free to taken action against the petitioner in accordance with law. Senior advo

BBC docu: Debarred PhD scholar urges Delhi HC to allow thesis submission

The DU had told the High Court on Monday that the action of students screening the banned BBC documentary without permission, and organising protests, despite imposition of prohibitory orders, amounts

DU in HC opposes NSUI leader's plea over BBC documentary screening

The Delhi University on Monday opposed in the Delhi High Court a plea by a leader of the Congress' students wing against his debarment for one year for alleged involvement in the screening of a controversial BBC documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots, saying he indulged in gross indiscipline which tarnished the image of a premier educational institution. The university, in its reply filed to the petition by Ph.D. scholar and NSUI national secretary Lokesh Chugh, said it has acted on the basis of a newspaper report on "banning the BBC documentary" and several persons, including the petitioner, assembled on the campus to screen the documentary in violation of Section 144 (issuance of prohibitory orders) of Code of Criminal Procedure imposed by police authorities. The leader of the National Students' Union of India (NSUI) claimed in his plea that he was not involved in the screening, and to his knowledge, there was no prohibition on the screening of the documentary. But the DU said that

Will continue to cooperate fully with Indian authorities: BBC on ED probe

The BBC will cooperate fully with the Indian authorities, the UK-headquartered media organisation said on Thursday in response to reports from India of a new investigation launched by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) into alleged foreign exchange violations by the British public broadcaster. A spokesperson for the British taxpayer-funded licence fee-backed media corporation told PTI that the BBC would comply with its obligations for operating in India. The statement came in response to a query about reports that the ED has reportedly called for documents and statements of some company executives under provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). "We will continue to cooperate fully with the Indian authorities to ensure that we comply with all our obligations, a BBC spokesperson said. According to official sources in Delhi, the ED probe is reportedly looking at purported foreign direct investment (FDI) violations by the company in India. It follows the Income-Tax (I-T)

Orwellian state being created where freedom of press is clamped down: Cong

The Congress on Thursday slammed the Centre after the Enforcement Directorate registered a case against news broadcaster BBC India, alleging that the government is determined to impose a "dictatorial government" where there is "tyranny of the executive." The ED has registered a FEMA case against BBC India with allegations of foreign exchange violations, official sources said Thursday, two months after the Income-Tax department surveyed its office premises. A deputy managing editor of the news company has deposed before the agency. The ED has called for documents and the recording of statements of some company executives under provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), the officials said. The probe is essentially looking at purported foreign direct investment (FDI) violations by the company, they said. Asked about the development at a press conference at AICC headquarters, Congress spokesperson Anshul Avijit said, "We know the atmosphere that is being created by the .

ED initiates FEMA investigation against BBC India; calls staffers for probe

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered a case under FEMA against BBC India for alleged foreign exchange violations and called its staffers for questioning following which a deputy managing editor of the broadcasting company deposed on Thursday, official sources said. The action by the central agency comes nearly two months after the Income-Tax department surveyed the office premises of the British Broadcaster in Delhi and Mumbai in February. According to officials, the case under the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) was registered nearly two weeks ago to essentially probe purported foreign direct investment (FDI) violations by the company and related instances. The ED has called for documents and the recording of statements of some company executives and a team of lawyers representing the company has already submitted some financial documents last week, they added. There was no immediate reaction from the broadcaster. Reacting to the ED action, ...

ED files FEMA case against BBC India for foreign exchange violations

The probe is essentially looking at purported foreign direct investment (FDI) violations by the BBC India, sources said

Twitter tags BBC as 'government funded media', British broadcaster objects

Elon Musk-owned Twitter has labelled the BBC as a "government funded media" on the microblogging site, leading to a sharp reaction from British public broadcaster which on Monday objected to the move. The taxpayer-funded licence fee supported UK media corporation said it has contacted the social media giant over the designation on its @BBC account to resolve the issue "as soon as possible". "The BBC is, and always has been, independent. We are funded by the British public through the licence fee," the BBC statement said. An email exchange with Twitter chief Elon Musk suggests that he is considering providing a label that would link all media organisations to "exact funding sources". "We are aiming for maximum transparency and accuracy. Linking to ownership and source of funds probably makes sense, Musk's email to BBC reads. "I do think media organisations should be self-aware and not falsely claim the complete absence of bias. All organisations have bias, some obviously much more

Always been independent: BCC as Twitter labels it as 'govt-funded media'

Twitter has not given a definition for what it considers "government-funded media" to constitute

BBC Punjabi Twitter account withheld in connection with Amritpal's case

Amid ongoing police crackdown against pro-Khalistani elements in Punjab, the official Twitter account of the BBC Punjabi was blocked by the authorities

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Gujarat Assembly passes resolution against BBC documentary, seeks action

Gujarat Assembly on Friday passed a resolution requesting the Centre to take strict action against the BBC for tarnishing the image of Prime Minister Modi with its documentary on the 2002 riots

Mikes of opposition silenced; media under attack in India: Rahul Gandhi

Gandhi, who is on a trip to London, also said that the Prime Minister PM is in "denial mode" over Chinese incursions into Indian territory

Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu wins BBC Indian Sportswoman Of The Year award

Tokyo Olympic Games silver-medallist weightlifter Mirabai Chanu has bagged the 2022 'BBC Indian Sportswoman Of The Year' award after a public vote. The 28-year-old weightlifter from Manipur became the first athlete to win the award twice in a row after bagging it in 2021 as well. At the Tokyo Games, she had become the first Indian to win a silver in the sport. Last year, she went on to secure gold at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. She also won a silver medal at the World Weightlifting Championships in 2022. "I am really excited and want to say that I will be working even harder for the forthcoming games and win more medals for India," said Chanu. The other short-listed contenders for the award were wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik, boxer Nikhat Zareen and badminton player PV Sindhu. Table tennis player Bhavina Patel won the 'BBC Para Sportswoman of the Year' award, a category introduced this year. She won a silver at the 2020 Paralympics in Tokyo, becoming the firs

UK Foreign Minister raises BBC issue, EAM Jaishankar says laws are for all

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday "firmly" told his British counterpart James Cleverly that all entities operating in India must fully comply with relevant laws after the visiting foreign secretary raised the issue of tax searches at BBC's offices. Cleverly, who is on a visit to India to attend a meeting of the G20 foreign ministers, raised the issue during a bilateral meeting with Jaishankar. "UK Foreign Secretary brought up the BBC tax issue with EAM today. He was firmly told that all entities operating in India must comply fully with relevant laws and regulations," a source in the Indian government said. Last month, the Income Tax department conducted survey operations at the BBC's offices in Delhi and Mumbai as part of an investigation into alleged tax evasion. The tax scrutiny was conducted weeks after the UK-headquartered British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) aired a two-part documentary, "India: The Modi Question", on the prime minister and the 2002 Gujara

UK Foreign Secy raises issue of IT searches at BBC offices with Jaishankar

UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly on Wednesday raised the issue of tax searches at BBC offices in India with his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar