Court Orders Removal of Defamatory Content in Dharmasthala Temple Case

A court here on Friday ruled for the immediate removal of defamatory material aimed at the Dharmasthala temple and its hereditary leader, D Veerendra Heggade, amidst a mass burial case controversy.

The 17th Additional City Civil and Sessions court followed the Supreme Court's direction concerning a petition linked to the case.

This decision arose from a civil defamation suit lodged by Heggade's brother, D Harshendra Kumar, which contested defamatory comments by activist Mahesh Shetty Timarodi and others allegedly part of the 'Burude Gang'.

The court's examination of various digital media concluded the claims were "baseless and damaging," leading to an injunction against further defamatory acts and mandates for online platforms to erase objectionable content.

Previously, a Karnataka High Court interim injunction was overturned, pushing Kumar to the Supreme Court, which advised the lower court to make an independent evaluation. After extensive review, the Sessions Court reinforced its injunction.

Legal experts believe the ruling could have major repercussions for digital platform misuse. "This ruling clearly states that defamation without proof is unacceptable," commented a legal expert.

Advocate S Rajashekar Hiliyaru advocated for the plaintiff.

(With inputs from agencies.)