Aneel Mussarat, a British businessman of Pakistani heritage has won a defamation case against Republic Bharat, Pakistani news channel Geo TV reported on Sunday, 3 July.
Republic Bharat is the Hindi channel of Republic TV.
Mussarat, who has close relations with former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, was called an ISI "stooge" in a programme had been broadcasted on July 22, 2020.
He had moved the London High Court against Worldview Media Network, which is Republic TV's UK broadcaster.
Mussarat's picture, he claims, was shown next to an interviewee in the show, while the latter said, "I don’t think freedom of expression extends to fraternising with people who are clearly involved in sending terrorists across into India."
The show also ran Mussarat’s photos with Indian celebrities along with lines like "Should Bollywood declare any links to pro-Pakistan, pro-terror, anti-India individuals and groups?" and "Should Bollywood renounce any links with Pakistanis who take a pro-terrorist line?"
During the case, Deputy Master of the Queen’s Bench Division of the High Court, Claire Toogood, conluded that the channel has no evidence to prove that Mussarat was an ISI stooge or that he was involved in anti-India activities.
The court awarded to Mussarat legal costs of 37,500 euros and damages of 10,000 euros.
"In July 2020, at the beginning of Covid-19, Republic TV Channel and Arnab Goswami broadcasted multiple TV programmes defaming my character, alleging me of being an ISI agent and spreading terrorism in India. I applied to the Royal Court of justice for vindication. I am glad I have been vindicated and I am thankful to the British justice system," Mussarat said in an interview with Geo TV.
(With inputs from Geo TV)
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