Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, May 30: The case booked against ‘Vishwavani’ newspaper editor Vishweshwar Bhat and the editorial staff for publishing a report stating trouble in Former PM H D Deve Gowda’s family, has been condemned by the Editors Guild.

Demanding the withdrawal of the FIR on Wednesday, they alleged ‘brazen misuse of power,’ and an effort to ‘intimidate the press and stifle freedom of expression.’

The guild in a statement also condemned that the FIR was registered on the basis of a complaint by JD(S) state secretary S P Pradeep Kumar who claimed to be aggrieved and not from the person who has been affected by the report.

Pradeep Kumar in his complaint had stated that the ‘false report’ published in ‘Vishwavani’ created an impression that there was confusion among Gowda’s grandchildren.

Based on the complaint a case under Sections 499 (defamation), 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating) of Indian Penal Code was booked against Bhat and his staff.

The guild also pointed out that several IPC provisions have been invoked, which seems to be 'motivated and arbitrary' use of power and demanded that the defamation law should be decriminalized.