The order, was passed by Justice S Tamilvanan on a
defamation suit filed by Dhoni claiming Rs 100 crore damages from the Zee
Media Corporation for allegedly telecasting “malicious” news that he
was involved in betting, spot and match fixing of IPL matches.
“I am of the view that
there is a prima facie case and the balance of convenience is also in
favour of the plaintiff. Hence interim injection granted for a period of
two weeks,” the judge said in his order after perusing Dhoni’s affidavit.
He issued notice to
defendants Zee Media Corporation Limited, Zee News Editor and Business
Head Sudhir Chaudary, IPS officer G Sampath Kumar (who initially probed
the IPL betting scam) and News Nation network private limited.
Dhoni, in his suit,
submitted that the defendants had been carrying highly defamatory,
scandalous and libellous false reports and statements since February 11,
2014.
The first and second
defendants Zee Media Corporation Limited (Zee News) and Sudhir Chaudary,
Editor and Business Head of Zee News Channel, Essel Studios, Noida, Uttar
Pradesh, in collusion with the third defendant IPS officer G
Sampath Kumar have been telecasting and broadcasting and posting
in their websites false reports insinuating that Dhoni was involved
in illegal activities of betting, match fixing and spot fixing.
Similarly, defendant
no.4, News Nation network private limited (News National channel) Noida,
UP, joined the tirade against Dhoni and later on went to the extent of
stating that Dhoni was summoned by the Tamil Nadu police, which was
also utterly false, the affidavit stated.
He charged that actions
were done with an intention to project Dhoni as an object of hate and
ridicule to the general public. The general public, especially IPL fans of
Chennai Superkings in Chennai, have been negatively influenced by
the malicious false reports, it claimed.
The sole agenda of the
defendants was somehow to malign and destroy the reputation of the
plaintiff in the eyes of the millions of his fans and cricket lovers all
over the world.
Plaintiff has filed the
suit because his fundamental right and personal rights had been breached
by the telecast and broadcast of the malicious news.
He sought a permanent
injunction restraining the defendants, their associations, sister
concerns, agents, officers, correspondents, employees or any other person
or entity in print or electronic media or via internet or otherwise
from publishing/republishing or in any other manner circulating any news
insinuating or denigrating his integrity and honesty as a cricketer except
the publication of the news of the exact judicial order if any passed by
the court.
Damages are to be paid
jointly and severally by all the defendants for an amount of Rs 100 crore,
the affidavit said.