Issuing a restraining order on Saturday, 29 September, the Delhi High Court asked Juggernaut Books to delete sections of book Godman to Tycoon: The Untold Story of Baba Ramdev which Ramdev has alleged are critical of him.
Holding their ground of not deleting sections in the book, the publishing house released a statement and said, “We will comply with the order of the high court by not publishing, distributing or selling the book at all, as we do not want to do so in a truncated form.”
“As the matter is sub judice, we would prefer not to comment on the merits of the case. However, we stand by our book and will be approaching the Supreme Court,” the statement by Juggernaut Books read.
Authored by Priyanka Pathak Narain, the book landed the publishers in a soup after Ramdev himself moved court, objecting to the sections which are aimed at “damaging and tarnishing his image”.
What Are the Objections Raised by Ramdev?
In his petition in Delhi High Court, Ramdev said that the it is evident that publishers have deliberately published the book with a view to damage and tarnish his reputation.
Ramdev further alleged that Narain has authored and Juggernaut has published “defamatory, derogatory and vexatious material about him intentionally”.
The petition mentions that the content of the book was published despite being false and untrue, thus causing wrongful loss to him.
What Narain told Delhi High Court
Narain, who has also worked as a journalist on religion beat previously, told the court that she stands by the truth of the statements contained in her book.
Specifying due attribution, Narain said that the book has been written based on publicly available documents, recorded interviews and “has been published after due verification to the maximum extent possible for a journalist.”
In any case, truth itself is a multilayered phenomenon, as one person’s truth is other person’s falsity and that, what one court finds as truth from a set of circumstances, statements and evidences, the appellate court may not.Narain’s submission in Delhi High Court
In her defence, Narain has also put forth 33 extracts of publications and media reports stated to be existing in the public domain prior to publication of the book, equally critical of Ramdev. The citation of these reports in the book in detail has also not gone down well with Ramdev.
A Brief Timeline of the Controversy
July 2017: Juggernaut Publishers launch Priyanka Pathak Narain’s Godman to Tycoon: The Untold Story of Baba Ramdev.
4 August 2017: In an ex-parte order, the trial court in Karkardooma restricts Juggernaut Books from publishing and selling the book.
28 April 2018: Lower court in Delhi lifts nine-month-old ex parte injunction on the publication and sale of a book.
10 May 2018: Justice RK Gauba of the Delhi High Court restores an injunction on the publication and sale of book.
September 29, 2018: Delhi High Court reverses decision of an appellate court and reaffirmed a trial court injunction on the publication, distribution and sale of the book.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)