STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Sub Judge/Special Mobile Magistrate (Passenger Tax and Shops Act), Jammu Khem Raj Sharma has summoned accused Neelama Kumari, wife of Polla Singh and Kiran Devi, wife of Jalla Singh, both residents of Ward No.1 Garkhal Tehsil Akhnoor, District Jammu and a news-portal owner/reporter namely Rabia Khajuria and her associate cameraperson namely Vikrant Sharma both residents of village Barui, Tehsil Akhnoor who jointly own and run an online news Portal under name & style of Jammu Speaks, in a criminal complaint filed under Section 499/500 IPC (Defamation) lodged by complainant namely Kashmir Singh, Sarpanch, Panchayat Halqa Garkhal, Tehsil Akhnoor, District Jammu.
After hearing Adv Muzzaffar Ali Shah appearing for complainant Kashmir Singh and going through the defamatory video submitted along with the complaint in the form of a compact disc (CD), the Sub Judge/Special Mobile Magistrate (Passenger Tax and Shops Act) Jammu, Khem Raj Sharma observed that the Court has heard Advocate Muzzaffar Ali Shah, Counsel for complainant and perused material on the file especially report of SHO Akhnoor regarding the investigation conducted in terms of Section 202 CrPC and preliminary statements of the complainant and one witness in the shape of duly sworn affidavits. “Court is of the opinion that there is sufficient material to proceed further in the case. Accordingly process was issued against accused persons for commission of offences under sections 499/500 of IPC.
Advocate Muzzaffar Ali Shah vehemently argued that complainant Kashmir Singh is a law abiding, peace loving and respectable citizen and is also social activist and has been elected as Sarpanch of Panchayat Halqa Garkhal, Tehsil Akhnoor District with huge mandate. Advocate Muzzaffar Ali Shah further submitted that to malign image of complainant, the accused persons namely Neelama Kumari and Kirna Devi called accused Vikrant Sharma to their home and made a video wherein they leveled false, baseless, libelous and defamatory allegations of land grabbing against complainant and it was alleged that complainant has encroached their portion of land of accused women.
It was further argued that accused Vikrant Sharma in connivance with the accused Rabia Khajuria shared the defamatory video on the News Portal ‘Jammu Speaks’ being run by accused Rabia Khajuria and said defamatory video accusing the complainant went viral on social media. The video/facebook interview spread like wildfire not only in Tehsil Akhnoor and District Jammu but throughout the UT, due to which complainant Kashmir Singh suffered immense loss to his reputation. The complainant Kashmir Singh further alleged in the complaint that the local journalist Vikrant Sharma did not ascertain stance of the complainant and aired the video which caused extensive damage to the reputation of Kashmir Singh. After considering the submissions of Advocate Muzzaffar Ali Shah, the Sub Judge/Special Mobile Magistrate (Passenger Tax and Shops Act), Jammu Khem Raj Sharma in a significant order directed summoning of accused including the owner/reporter of news-portal ‘Jammu Speaks’ namely Rabia Khajuria and her associate Vikrant Sharma in the criminal defamation complaint filed by Kashmir Singh Sarpanch Panchayat Halqa Garkhal. The summons, issued through SHO/Incharge Police Station Akhnoor, served upon accused for their appearance before Court on January 6, 2022.