The Statesman tenders unconditional apology to RSS

Author:
Publication: Organiser
Date: October 26, 2003

The Statesman, English daily from New Delhi and Kolkata, has tendered an unconditional apology to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for its editorial-Not illegal but stupid-published on 29-05-2000, in which it had alleged that the 'RSS was an organisation which killed Gandhi'.

It may be recalled that on the publication of the above mentioned editorial, Shri Darshan Lal Jain, Prant Sanghchalak of Haryana, filed a complaint under section 499/500 Cr.P.C. on September 26, 2000, through Shri Pradeep Garg, advocate, against the newspaper for its defamatory remarks, in the court of Shri Atul Maria, Judicial Magistrate, Class-I, Jagadhari.  The accused namely Shri C.R. Irani, editor in chief, The Statesman, Kolkata, Sudhir Kumar, Printer and Publisher, Kolkata, Ravindra Kumar, Managing Editor, Kolkata, Saubhik Chakravarty, Resident Editor, New Delhi and Shri Saby Thomas, printer and publisher, New Delhi were accorded to be summoned by the Magistrate on December 16, 2002.  Shri C.R. Irani, Shri Ravindra Kumar and Shri Saubhik Chakraborty appeared before the court in person on March 28, 2003 and were bailed out on furnishing the surety of Rs 7000 each.  The other two accused were again required to appear before the court on September 27, 2003.  On their failure to appear, bailable warrants were issued against Sudhir Kumar.  Shri Suman Kapoor, advocate, High Court Delhi, counsel for the accused, made an offer of compromise on September 27, 2003 to apologise unconditionally for the defamatory comments.  In an application filed for the admission of the compromise, The Statesman stated that it had gone through the defamatory write-up.  They also admitted that the allegations made by the accused against RSS are absolutely wrong and baseless and all the accused tender unconditional apology for the same.  "In fact, the accused had no intention to insult or defame this esteemed and patriotic organisation i.e. the RSS and this publication was flashed in the column of our paper due to some misunderstanding." On publication of the unconditional apology on the front page of the Statesman of Delhi and Kolkata, Siliguri, Bhubneshwar on 11-10-2003, the case was withdrawn on 14-10-2003 by the complainant.

(FOC)
 

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