Madras High Court Upholds Rs 10 Lakh Defamation Award for Actress Sukanya

The Madras High Court has affirmed a ruling directing Sun TV Network to pay Rs 10 lakh in compensation to actress R. Sukanya, resolving a defamation lawsuit that spanned several decades. The decision was delivered at the Madras High Court in Chennai, upholding a previous decree issued by a local trial court.

The legal dispute traces back to an interview given by forest brigand Veerappan in 1996. During the course of the broadcasted interview, Veerappan made specific statements about Sukanya. The actress later filed a lawsuit, claiming that the aired comments were entirely false and had caused significant damage to her personal and professional reputation.

Following the initial legal proceedings, a Chennai trial court ruled in favor of Sukanya in 2015. The trial court ordered Sun TV to pay the damages and granted a permanent injunction in her favor. Sun TV Network subsequently appealed this decision, challenging both the Rs 10 lakh compensation amount and the permanent injunction.

During the appeal hearings, Justice K Kumaresh Babu found the broadcaster at fault for airing the defamatory statements. The judge observed that Sun TV Network had the full authority to edit the interview before it was put on the air. Despite having the right and opportunity to remove the damaging remarks, the broadcaster failed to do so.

Additionally, the court highlighted the inadequacy of the broadcaster's subsequent actions. Justice Kumaresh Babu noted that while Sun TV later shared its regret through a print magazine, it did not broadcast any apology on its own television channel.

With these observations, the Madras High Court dismissed the broadcaster's appeal, legally requiring Sun TV to pay the Rs 10 lakh in damages to Sukanya and upholding the original trial court's ruling.