BuzzBytes
New Delhi, Oct 1: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary Arun Mehta has said that apologies issued by two defendants in a defamation suit against media platforms have strengthened his claim that allegations published against him were false and damaging to his reputation.
In CS(OS) 859/2025, the court on September 30 recorded that Defendant Nos. 3 and 5 had admitted their mistake and published apologies regarding the article in question. Following Mehta’s request, the court deleted their names from the array of parties.
Mehta, represented by advocate Vasudev Sharan Swain, said the apologies marked an important development in the case.
“The apologies are not a courtesy. They are an admission. Those who repeated the allegations have now accepted they were wrong. The Wire, the original publisher that was quoted by other platforms, cannot hide behind others. It remains a contesting defendant and will now face trial on the merits. We will pursue this to the end,” Swain said.
The court also allowed the written statements of Defendant Nos. 1, 2 and 4 to be taken on record, subject to costs of Rs 10,000 each.
Mehta has indicated that he is willing to withdraw the case against defendants who tender a similar apology. Defendant No. 4 has sought time to consider the matter.
The case will next come up before the court on December 15, 2026.
Swain also called upon media platforms that carried the allegations to correct the record with similar prominence.
“You cannot destroy a reputation with a headline and then bury the apology in a footnote. The damage must be undone. The truth must be published as loudly as the lie,” he said.
According to Mehta, The Wire, which he identifies as the original publisher and source quoted by other platforms, remains a contesting defendant in the suit. He has said he will not withdraw the proceedings against defendants who refuse to apologise and continue to stand by the allegations.
