PRANNOY ROY Vs. ANN SHOURIE

JUDGEMENT

(1.) BY this application under Sec. 482. Cr P.C. two petitioners seek an order quashing the order dated 18 -11 -1992 in Complaint Case No. 270 (C) 92/Tr. No. 1319/92, whereby the Judicial Magistrate, 1st Class, Arrah has taken cognizance of offences punishable under Secs. 500, 501, 502. and 469 of Indian Penal Code and issued processes against the petitioners.

(2.) PETITIONER No. 1 Prannoy Roy has a Doctorate Degree (Ph. D.) in Economics from Delhi School of Economics, Delhi University. He is a qualified Chartered Accountant and a fellow of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales. He has served as a Professor at Delhi School of Economics and was also the Economic Advisor to the Ministry of Finance. He is a well known media personality and has received national and international acclaim for his contribution to television as a Broadcaster and a leading psephologist of India. He is also the anchorman of the weekly television programme. "The World This Week". Petitioner No. 2 Mr. Arun Shourie was the Editor and publisher of a leading national publishing house which publishes the internationally renounced magazine " India Today". He is also a well known media personality who has made a significant contribution to the Press and Communication in general.

(3.) ON 13 -7 -1992 opposite party No. 1 Ashok Kumar Verma, a resident of Arrah town claiming to be a social worker and writer, filed a complaint stating that he had been associated with late Babu Jagjiwan Ram since 1962 and had received fatherly affection from him. Due to his close association with late Babu Jagjiwan Ram he had the privilege of watching and observing his personality. He had written several bibliography of late Babu Jagjiwan Ram. He had gone to Delhi to participate in the death anniversary of late Babu Jagjiwan Ram on 1st July, 1992 and while he was in Delhi he purchased a book titled "India decides." He returned to Arrah on 8 -7 -1992. He read the book and was deeply hurt to read some portion of the book.