Legal Notice served on 'Times Now' for calling Lawyers 'Goons'

Supreme Court Lawyer Gagan Gandhi served notice on “Times Now” on Saturday for calling lawyers “Goons”.

The timesnownews.com has published an article dated 04/11/2019 titled as “Protesting Lawyers turn goons in Delhi, assault policeman at Saket Court Complex” which can be accessed at https://www.timesnownews.com/india/article/protesting-lawyers-turn-goons-in-delhi-assault-policeman-at-saket-court-complex/511337# and also telecasted by the principal correspondent Sh Priyank Tripathi.

As per the advocate, the news broadcasted by the channel is speculative, uncorroborated and is an attack on the reputation of “lawyers” who are officers of Court. It is his submission that lawyers played significant role in the freedom movement followed by drafting of the Constitution and are custodians of law. Majority of law makers in the country have had been practicing advocate(s).

According to Mr. Gandhi the article and news coverage has caused damage to the reputation of the entire fraternity whose image has been lowered in the eyes of their client(s), friends, relatives and colleagues.

The article and news coverage are in violation of Section 5 of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 since it is defamatory, false and amounts to contempt of court, casts aspersion on the integrity of Judiciary and maligns all the lawyers.

The Notice seeks to make sure that the news channel retracts its statements regarding the whole matter and issue an unconditional apology for vexatious allegation.

This is second such notice to any news channel after Bar Council of Delhi (BCD) sent legal notice to news channel “Aaj Tak” for causing disrepute to the legal profession and damaging the reputation of the members of the profession in programme titled “Sare Jahan Se Sacha”

The Advocate has also sought liquidated damages of One Crore to be deposited to the Advocates Welfare Fund for the loss of reputation and good will.

This comes at a time when the legal profession is facing lot of challenges due to Covid-19 pandemic.