Gautam Gambhir files defamation suit against Hindi daily Punjab Kesari for calling him 'Bhasmasur'

Former India cricketer and BJP Member of Parliament, Gautam Gambhir has sued Hindi newspaper Punjab Kesari. The cricketer has reportedly filed a defamation case before the Delhi High Court seeking damages worth INR 2 crores.

Punjab Kesari editor Aditya Chopra and correspondents Amit Kumar and Imran Khan have all been sued by Gambhir on account of misusing their journalistic freedom and publishing numerous fake and libellous articles targeting the cricketer.

In the case filed through advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai, Gambhir quoted several reports and claimed that the Hindi daily gave a deceptive spin to its stories. According to a report by 'bar and bench', one of the reports in the newspaper allegedly compared him with the mythical demon 'Bhasmasur'. 

Some of the reports mentioned in the suit are:

Sansad Gautam Gambhir Lapata Gali-Gali Me Lage Poster (MP Gautam Gambhir goes missing, posters come up in streets);

Dilli ke lapata Sansad Lucknow Super Giants ke liye bane 'Bhasmasur' (Delhi's missing MP becomes Bhasmasur for Lucknow Super Giants);

Adesh Gupta bolte reh gaye, Gautam Gambhir uth chale (Adesh Gupta kept talking, Gautam Gambhir left);

Ye Naye Mijaz ke Sansad hai Jara Faaslo se Mila Karo (This is the MP of a new frame of mind, please keep distance while meeting him).

As per the lawsuit, the reports claim Gambhir to be a casteist person and a snobbish politician.

"It is the respectful case of the Plaintiff that the pattern of these defamatory publications is indicative of a willful campaign launched by the Defendants to lower the reputation and standing of the Plaintiff in the eyes of his constituents, supporters, and the public at large The Defendants undertook no effort to confirm or corroborate the veracity of their publication – which further points out their collective malaise against the Plaintiff," the suit stated.

Gambhir has asked for damages worth INR 2 crores which will be given to charitable organisations. The Lucknow Super Giants mentor has even asked that the defendants should submit an unconditional apology which should be published in all newspapers (including digital versions) circulated by Punjab Kesari.

The 41-year-old has further demanded that directions should be issued to the paper to withdraw every defamatory publication made against him. The suit is scheduled for hearing on Wednesday, May 17 before Justice Chandra Dhari Singh.