The Telangana Government has given clearance to IAS officer Smita Sabharwal, additional secretary in chief minister’s office, to file a defamation case against Outlook magazine for carrying objectionable cartoon and write-up against her sometime back. Giving the nod to her appeal to the government to file a civil suit worth Rs 10 crore, the government also released Rs 15 lakh to meet the legal expenses of the case.
Following the write-up which reeked of obscenity in a column of the magazine, Smita’shusband Akun Sabarwal filed a criminal case against the Outlook, which is under investigation. Meanwhile, the editor of the magazine a wrote a letter to governor of Telangana ESL Narasimhan stating that a hostile atmosphere was being created for local correspondent and wanted Governor’s intervention.
The Magazine also tendered an apology for carrying the snippet that hurt the sentiments of Smita Sabharwal, which the officer found not satisfactory.
Now, she informed the government that she intends to file a civil suit worth Rs.10 crore against the management of the Outlook Magazine for posting an article and a cartoon in July 6th edition of Outlook Magazine and sought the government to bear court expenses.
Telangana government on Thursday night issued a GO sanctioning Rs 15 lakh for her to meet the legal expenses which includes court fee of Rs 9,75 lakh and Rs 5 lakh for other litigation expenses including legal representation for criminal complaint, civil suit, possible quashment proceedings in the High Court. The sanction of money is subject to the condition that the amount should be refunded in case of compensation being awarded by Court.
