Gauhati High Court Throws Out 2010 Defamation Case Against Newspaper Editors

Guwahati: The Gauhati High Court scrapped a criminal defamation case against former Asomiya Pratidin chief editor Hyder Hussain and printer Jatin Choudhury. The case dates back to December 2010. It centered on a news report detailing alleged financial graft at the Public Works Department Ghilamara Division. Complainant Dhrubajyoti Rava claimed the story linked him to missing funds for office stationery.

A Judicial Magistrate in North Lakhimpur originally issued summons under Sections 500, 501, and 34 of the Indian Penal Code. The journalists fought back. They argued the article served the public interest and lacked personal attacks. The case dragged on for years. Eventually, Rava changed his tune.

Rava’s lawyer told the court that his client had no grievance against the journalists because “the publication had ultimately not affected his reputation in society.” Justice Shamima Jahan reviewed the facts. She applied protections for good faith reporting and moved to settle the matter under Section 320 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

The court tossed CR Case No. 209/2010 entirely. This victory ends the legal battle for Hussain and Choudhury over the 2010 publication.