'Tone down,' Delhi HC tells Arnab Goswami on Tharoor's defamation plea

Tharoor in his plea claimed Rs two crore as damages from the channel.

The Delhi High Court on Monday issued notice to journalist Arnab Goswami and his newly-launched news channel Republic TV following a defamation plea filed by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor. " Bring down the rhetoric. You can put out your story, you can put out the facts. You cannot call him names. That is uncalled for," Justice Manmohan observed.

The court also said that just because Tharoor was not coming to their show or not giving an interview, cannot be a reason to say that he was "running away", as was said on the news channel. A person has a "right to be silent", it said with regard to the lack of response from Tharoor and added that "someone has not understood how our law operates".

Tharoor in his plea claimed Rs two crore as damages from the channel for allegedly making defamatory remarks against him while airing news relating to the death of his wife.

Whatever be the provocation, you cannot call him a criminal masquerading as a politician. That is uncalled for and it is presumptive. You cannot use language like this. You cannot call him names. Bring down the rhetoric," the court further observed. However no order of injunction was passed by the court.

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