A Srinagar court has directed Republic TV’s Managing Director, Editor-in-Chief and Co-founder Arnab Goswami to appear to the court on February 9 with regards to a criminal defamation suit filled by PDP leader Naeem Akhtar, according to reports.
Akhtar had accused Goswami along with former PDP MLA Molvi Abid Ansari, Republic TV correspondents Zishan Fazil, Aditya Raj Koul and BJP activist Khalid Jehangir of levelling fabricated corruption charges against him.
TheCitizen quoted Akhtar’s counsel saying, “Abid chose not to appear before the court after which an arrest warrant was issued against him while Khalid Jahangir appeared before the court and submitted bail bonds. The case has been listed for recording of statement on February 9”.
On September 1, Akhtar had sent a notice to Republic TV and Khalid Jehangir for carrying out “defamatory and malicious” news content against him by channel.
10 days later, Akhtar send legal notice to the PDP MLA over “baseless ” allegations of corruption.
The notice that Akhtar has sent to Abid Ansari read, “You (Abid Ansari) have leveled serious allegations against him (Akhtar) including allegations of massive corruption by virtue of which allegedly my client has bought 250 kanals of land in Budgam district. You have made direct references to my client, and the political party to which he belongs, with respect to the defamatory content of your statement”.
Meanwhile, Chief Judicial Magistrate Srinagar issued an arrest warrant against Molvi Abid Ansari for failing to appear before the court.
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