It was held by the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court that “Fair reporting of the information which is brought in public domain-news item containing a statement of facts-may not attract action for defamation.” The bench noted this while quashing criminal proceedings that started on a news report on an FIR registration.
Justice Vinay Joshi said “The freedom of making a true news report regarding the affairs which are in the public domain is a right, which flows from the freedom of speech. The action of defamation about true and faithful reporting is unhealthy for a democratic setup.”
The HC said, “the core question is whether the publication or reporting of registration of crime amounts to the intentional imputation of a named person.”
