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On August 12, 2024, the Supreme Court of India stayed the criminal defamation proceedings against Jaideep Bose, Editorial Director of Bennett Coleman and Co Ltd, which publishes the Times of India. This decision comes after Bose challenged the Karnataka High Court’s refusal to quash defamation charges against him.
The Supreme Court bench, consisting of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala, and Justice Manoj Misra, issued a stay on the proceedings and directed that no further actions be taken until further orders from the Court. The Court’s notice in the matter marks a significant development in the ongoing legal battle.
Bose’s challenge arises from defamation proceedings initiated by M/s Bid And Hammer Auctioneers Private Limited. The complaint alleged that a 2014 article published in the Times of India, which discussed an auction of artwork, contained defamatory content suggesting that fake artworks were being auctioned. The complainant claimed that the article harmed their reputation.
The Karnataka High Court had earlier dismissed Bose’s plea to quash the defamation charges, although it had quashed proceedings against the company itself. Bose’s defense, led by Senior Advocate R Basant, argued that the defamation charges were general and did not specify any actionable offense by Bose. Basant contended that Bose, as the Editorial Director, was not responsible for the specific content of individual articles, which are handled by designated editors under the Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867.
The High Court had noted that while the company was not implicated in the defamation charges, the allegations against Bose were specific enough to warrant continued proceedings. The Supreme Court’s stay provides temporary relief for Bose, pending further judicial review.