Karnataka High Court Sentences “Hello Mysuru” Editor to 6 Months for Defaming Police Officer

The Karnataka High Court has convicted T. Gururaj, editor of the Kannada daily Hello Mysuru, for publishing defamatory articles against Circle Inspector S.N. Suresh Babu in 2004.

Justice S. Rachaiah set aside the trial court’s earlier acquittal and held that Gururaj’s unverified allegations claiming bribery, illegal lotteries, prostitution, and other misconduct amounted to defamation when not supported by any public complaints.

Gururaj was sentenced to six months’ simple imprisonment under Sections 500 and 501 of the IPC, fined ₹2,000 for each offence (sentences to run concurrently), with an additional month of imprisonment in default.

[SN Suresh Babu V T Gururaj].