LI NETWORK
Delhi High Court set aside interim stay on publication of a book on Asaram Bapu – “Gunning for the Godman: The True Story Behind Asaram’s Conviction”.
High Court Justice Najmi Waziri in Harper Collin’s appeal against the injunction order of district court.
Harper Collins submitted to the court that the allegedly defamatory content was based entirely on trial record and judgment.
High Court on already printed copies of the book directed that the book be sold along with a flyer for clarification that the book is based on the judgment of a trial court, which is under appeal and for online sale, the disclaimer should be given electronically.
The book, authored by Ajay Lamba, Additional Commissioner of Police, Jaipur and Sanjiv Mathur, claiming to be a true story, was scheduled to be released on September 5 this year, both physically and online.
Appearing for the publisher Senior advocate Kapil Sibal said “This is very serious. All the books have already been distributed to the distributors. It has become a trend in the last few years that they move court on the eve of release of a book and get an ex-parte stay.”
Senior Advocate said the plaintiff woman has not come to court with clean hands and she had not annexed a copy of the judgment in the rape case before the trial court which could have then seen whether objections raised by her have any basis in the law.
Earlier, this month the Delhi Court had stayed the publication of this book. The stay order was passed by Additional District Judge RL Meena, in a suit preferred by Sanchita Gupta, co-accused in the Asaram Bapu rape case.
