TV TODAY NETWORK LTD. & ORS vs RAMESH BHIDURI

Judgment text excerpt

$~ * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI % Decided on: 04th November, 2025 + CRL.M.C. 1250/2019 TV TODAY NETWORK LTD. & ORS .....Petitioners Through: Mr. Hrishikesh Baruah, Mr. Utkarsh Dwivedi & Mr. Kumar Kshitij, Advs. versus RAMESH BIDHURI .....Respondent Through: Mr. Kirti Uppal, Sr. Adv. with Mr. Amit Tiwari, Mr. Shekhar, Mr. Aditya Raj, Ms. Ayushi Srivastava, Mr. Ayush Tanwar, Advs. + CRL.M.C. 1255/2019 TV TODAY NETWORK LTD. & ORS .....Petitioners Through: Mr. Hrishikesh Baruah, Mr. Utkarsh Dwivedi & Mr. Kumar Kshitij, Advs. versus RAJPAL POWSAL .....Respondent Through: Mr. Kirti Uppal, Sr. Adv. with Mr. Amit Tiwari, Mr. Shekhar, Mr. Aditya Raj, Ms. Ayushi Srivastava, Mr. Ayush Tanwar, Advs. CRL. M.C. 1250/2019 & CRL. M.C. 1255/2019 Page 1 of 15 Signature Not Verified Digitally Signed By:VAISHALI PRUTHI Signing Date:04.11.2025 19:05:20 CORAM HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE RAVINDER DUDEJA JUDGMENT RAVINDER DUDEJA, J. 1. These are two petitions under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 [“Cr. P.C.”] filed by the petitioners TV Today Network Ltd. and its officials, seeking quashing and setting aside of the order dated 13.12.2018 passed by the learned Metropolitan Magistrate (trial court) in Complaint Case No. 624319/2016 titled ‘Ramesh Bidhuri v. Purshottam Sharma & Ors.’ and Complaint Case No. 624318/2016 ‘Rajpal Poswal v. Purshottam Sharma & Ors.’, whereby, the trial court dismissed the petitioners’ applications for discharge. They are also praying for discharge in the aforesaid complaints. 2. Both petitions raise substantially identical questions of fact and law and, therefore, are being disposed of together. Factual Matrix 3. The petitioners are a media house engaged in news broadcasting under the brand Aaj Tak/India Today Group. On 10.08.2011, a programme