Jodhpur, Jan 23: A journalist of a Jaipur-based newspaper was today sentenced to six months imprisonment in a defamation case by the Rajasthan High Court, which also slapped a fine of Rs 50,000 each on the owner, editor and a correspondent of the daily.
While hearing the contempt petition, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Amitav Roy and Justice Mahendra Maheshwari, ordered that if the fine amount is not deposited in two weeks the three will serve one month imprisonment.
“Churu correspondent of news paper ‘Dainik Prakash Kunj', Desh Deepak, had reported on October 10, 2011 alleging that the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Churu had remanded a criminal in judicial custody instead of police custody by accepting a bribe and misusing his position,” said Additional Advocate General G R Punia.
The CJM issued notices to the concerned persons and referred the matter to the High Court as criminal contempt.
Today, the High Court sentenced Deepak and imposed a penalty of Rs 50,000 each on the owner of the news paper, S M Gautam, Editor Hemant Sharma and a Sikar based correspondent Sadik.
