Senior Advocate Pradeep Rai on Tuesday argued before the Delhi High Court that AajTak India Today Chairman Aroon Purie has to tender an unconditional apology to him for carrying an unverified news item against him.
When Delhi High Court judge Justice Anish Dayal verbally suggested to the parties to see if settlement is possible, Senior Advocate Pradeep Rai agreed to explore the possibility of mediation, but insisted Aroon Purie and the news channel must apologise to him for the reportage.
After hearing the submissions of Aroon Purie and Pradeep Rai, Justice Anish Dayal noted that the parties have agreed to explore the possibility of arriving at an amicable resolution. Senior Advocate Maninder Singh consented to be a mediator in the matter.
The High Court judge added if at all the parties reach a settlement, they shall be at liberty to file an application before the court.
Justice Dayal noted that the parties should see if a settlement was possible and said he wasn’t commenting about anything. “This is just an opportunity. No harm will be caused to anyone,” he said.
Senior Advocate Pradeep Rai had filed a criminal defamation case aggrieved by news articles on the website of AajTak news channel claiming Rai was the nephew of conman Sanjay Rai Sherpuria. The articles claimed a notice was issued to Pradeep Rai by a Special Task Force for questioning and that he was the director in various companies owned by Sanjay Sherpuria.
The trial court on July 26 had summoned Aroon Purie, Chairman of India Today Group, Kallie Purie, Vice Chairman of India Today Group, Supriya Prasad, Managing Editor of Tak Channels, Milind Khandekar, Managing Editor in the case.
The trial court order was challenged by Aroon Purie, Kallie Purie and TV Today Network Limited, the parent company which owns India Today news channel, by way of two petitions which were heard by Justice Dayal today. Senior Advocate Rajiv Nayar appeared for Aroon Purie whereas Senior Advocate Pradeep Rai appeared in person.
Justice Dayal told Nayar that the news channel must have a quick response system in case of any misreporting. He added that news move very fast and the damage can be very quick.
He further said that when one expects a quick response from the police, the media should also be subjected to the same. The case will now be heard in November.
It was Senior Advocate Pradeep Rai’s case that the news articles were published without verifying details. He alleged his photograph was published in the articles which left no scope for confusion regarding his identity.
But once Rai had sent a legal notice to Purie, the articles were removed.