Calicut: In the age of Fake News and Social Media trolls slaying brand’s image and equity, The Kozhikode sub court II has delivered a verdict setting an example on how such issues needs to be handled in the age of digital revolution.
In defamation suit filed by the Malabar Gold and its director MP Ahammed against Delhi-based television channel Sudarshan TV and its editor Suresh Chavhanke for spreading fake news, the has ordered the TV channel to pay Rs. 50 lakh as compensation to the International Jewelry and Diamonds retail giant. The amount also includes the compensation for court-related expenses to Malabar Gold, sub-court II judge G Rajesh said in his judgment.
Malabar Gold has filed the case against the channel for airing the visuals of a morphed compact disk which showed Pakistan’s Independence Day celebrations organized by a Dubai-based financial services company, but presented as the one organized by Malabar Gold at a function held in Chennai, as alleged by the channel. The visuals were aired on August 20, 2016 and Malabar Gold and its director Ahammed filed the case alleging that the channel aired the fake news with ulterior motives at the behest of its business rivals to defame Malabar Gold’s impeccable reputation and show the patriotism of its promoters in poor light.
Reacting to the verdict, its Director MP Ahammed said, “The judgment vindicates Malabar Gold’s stand and stands testimony to the victory of truth and justice. A Dubai court had earlier indicted an employee of the Dubai-based financial service company in a similar case filed by Malabar Gold in a court in the UAE.”
