A Bengaluru Civil Court has found both Asianet and Suvarna News liable for defaming actor turned politician Divya Spandana by wrongfully linking her to 2013 IPL spot-fixing scam, Live Law reported. The court has directed the TV channels to pay damages of ₹50 lakhs.

According to the report, the Court also allowed Spandana’s request for a permanent prohibitory injunction restraining these news networks from telecasting any programmes linking her to the match-fixing/spot-fixing scandals. The subject of the suit were two programmes aired by Suvarna News, which is owned and controlled by Asianet, in May 2013 on the alleged involvement of some Kannada film actresses in the “betting” and “spot-fixing” scandal. Still pictures of Spandana, a former brand ambassador of Royal Challengers Bangalore team, were shown during the programmes.

Spandana had contended that she was not associated with IPL in 2013 in any manner, as she was then actively involved in a campaign for Karnataka assembly elections. “Asianet and Survarna News contended that news channels were entitled to broadcast news relating to public events and public figures. It was also contended that there was no direct reference made to Divya Spandana, and there was no loss or damage caused to her. They also stated that the enquiry by police in the case had revealed the involvement of two Kannada film stars in the scam. The Court noted that Divya Spandana was not associated with the IPL in 2013, and that the persons nabbed by Delhi and Mumbai police in relation to the scam had not named the plaintiff,” according to Live Law.

In its order, the court stated: “This Court is of the opinion that act of defendants is in complete violation of the journalistic ethics and deliberately to destroy the popularity of the plaintiff and act of the defendant is mala fide with an intention to defame her dignity.”