Defamation Case: Tarun Tejpal, 2 Other Journalists Ordered To Pay Rs 2 Crore To Army Officer

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has delivered a verdict whereby it awarded Rs 2 crore to an Indian Army officer as compensation for damage to his reputation caused by a 2001 ‘expose’ conducted by news portal Tehelka.com, alleging his involvement in corruption in defence procurement.

Deciding a lawsuit by Major General MS Ahluwalia, Justice Neena Bansal Krishna on Friday directed that the amount shall be paid by Tehelka.com, its owner M/s Buffalo Communications, its proprietor Tarun Tejpal and reporters Aniruddha Bahal and Mathew Samuel, reported PTI.

The judge stated that there can’t be a more blatant case of causing serious harm to an honest Army officer’s reputation, and observed that an apology after 23 years of publication was “not only inadequate but is meaningless”.

The court, however, said the plaintiff was not able to prove any act of defamation on the part of Zee Telefilm Ltd and its officials for telecasting the story in question following an arrangement with the news portal.

The court said that the plaintiff not only faced lowering of estimation in the eyes of the public but his character also got maligned with serious allegations of corruption which no subsequent refutation can redress or heal.

“Truth is considered to be the best vindication against slander as wisely quoted by Abraham Lincoln. Yet, truth lacks the potency to restore the reputation that one loses in eyes of a society which is always quick to judge. The disconsolate reality is that wealth lost can always be earned back; howbeit, the scar to one’s repute once etched in the soul, yields nothing but forlorn even if millions are granted in reparation,” the court said.

“In view of the findings on issue No. 1 and 2, the suit is dismissed against the defendant Nos. 5 to 7, and the damages in the sum of Rs 2,00,00,000 (Rupees two crore) is awarded to the plaintiff to be paid by defendant No. 1 to 4 for having caused defamation, along with costs of the suit,” the court ruled.

Tehelka.com had carried a story on March 13, 2001 alleging corruption in defence deals relating to import of new defence equipment.