Nagarik publisher, journos file libel suit against Sajha GM

Published On: September 8, 2018 07:12 AM NPT

KATHMANDU, Sept 8: The managing director and journalists of Nepal Republic Media (NRM) have filed a libel case against the general manager (GM) of the government-owned Sajha Prakashan, Dolindra Prasad Sharma, on the charge of defaming them in his new book.

Managing Director of NRM Binod Raj Gyawali, Editor-in-Chief of Nagarik, Guna Raj Luitel, Republica reporter Bishnu Prasad Aryal and Nagarik reporter Basanta Khadka jointly filed the libel case against Sharma at Kathmandu District Court on Friday.

The libel suit states that, Sharma, in his book, has accused the publisher and journalists of blackmailing him over corruption at Sajha Prakashan. Sharma also used insulting languages in the book titled Badal Bhitrako Gham authored by Sharma and recently distributed in the market.

Author Sharma and Shami Sahitya Academy, the publisher of the book, have been named defendants in the lawsuit. Stating that the book written by Sharma was published and distributed with an ill-intention to defame the NRM publisher and journalists, the latter have sought damages of Rs 20 million for each and full cost of the litigation.

In the lawsuit, the publisher and journalists claimed that Sharma has written eleven pages (page 181 to 191) of defamatory languages against them under the topic of media miracle. “The defendant accused us of engaging in ‘yellow journalism’; accused us of ‘licentious misuse of journalism’ therefore we need to move the court for appropriate remedy,” the libel suit states.

In the lawsuit it has been claimed that the defendant wrote the book when Nagarik and Republica dailies exposed corruption cases in the publications funded through state coffers.

The plaintiffs, in the lawsuit, have sought optimum punishment for the defendants as per Section 5 of the erstwhile Defamation Act, 1959 and Section 307 of the existing Muluki Criminal Code, 2017 under which a convict may face up to two years jail, and compensation as demanded in the lawsuit.

Stating that the defendants have distributed 11,500 books in Nepal and abroad and this is sufficient to defame the plaintiffs around the world, the claimants have sought the damages.