Tags:
Journalism of Courage
BANGALORE, AUG 19: The defamation case filed against former chief minister S Bangarappa by Union Commerce Minister Ramakrishna Hegde8217;s relative Ganesh Hegde has been dismissed by the Magistrate Court.
The dismissal followed the court8217;s decision to uphold an earlier acquittal of 1996, in the same case. The acquittal then was granted under Exception 9 of Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code IPC.
The case was filed after Bangarappa made an allegation at a press conference, that rice was being smuggled8217; to Goa in which the then chief minister Hegde8217;s relatives, particularly Ganesh Hegde, were involved.
It was then tried in the High Court, Supreme Court and then again in the Magistrate Court, where Bangarappa was acquitted on grounds that he had made the allegations based on written complaints by people from Ramakrishna Hegde8217;s hometown Sirsi. 8220;His press conference was in good faith and for public good,8221; the court had then upheld.
