Report linking Kalkuli Vittal Hegde, Kadidal Shamanna to Naxalism: Two scribes fined
Chikmagaluru: Sringeri First Sessions Court on Friday slapped a fine of Rs 20000 each on two journalists on charges of publishing a defamatory report on environmental activist Kalkuli Vittal Hegde and farmers leader Kadidal Shamanna linking them with naxal activities.
The court has fined an editor and residential editor of a state level newspaper.
On June 3, 2007, Hosadiganta newspaper has published the report on its front page against Kalkuli Vittal Hegde and Kadidal Shamanna under the headline 'Kalkuli Vittal Hegde, Kadidal Shamanna have naxal links: Here is proof', alleging that they have naxal links.
Against the report, Hegde moved the court and filed a defamation case saying that it was a false news. By making a news, the newspaper has tarnished his image and insulted him, he complained.
After a prolonged hearing of the case, judge S Suryanarayan, on January 25, 2019, had announced the verdict citing that the editor of the newspaper have failed to prove their version of the news. Based on publishing the defamatory news, the court opined that newspaper editor Du Ga Lakshman and resident editor S Shantaram have done cognizable offence under IPC Section 500, 501 and 502.
For this case, the court has slapped a fine of Rs 20,000 to each of the journalists and if they failed to pay the penalty, the journalists have to undergo seven months imprisonment. Moreover, the photo published in the newspaper was taken in 1998 and during that time, there was no naxal movement in Malnad region. That photo was taken during public awareness meetings related to Kudremukh National Park issue. Parvathi who was with Vittal Hegde and Shamanna, in that photo, was not involved in naxal movement at that time, the court observed in its verdict.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
