Arrest warrant issued against journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta suspended by Gujarat HC

The Gujarat High Court has suspended the non-bailable warrant of arrest issued by a magistrate in Kutch against journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta in connection with a 2017 defamation suit filed by the Adani Group against Thakurta.

The Bench of Justice B. N. Karia suspended the magistrate's order while hearing the application filed by Guha praying to quash and set aside the order dated 18th January 2021 passed by the Judicial Magistrate First Class, Mundra, Kutch, as per a report carried by Live Law.

It was submitted before the Bench by Guha's Counsel that without issuing summons or bailable warrant, the trial court had straightway issued non-bailable warrant against the Guha to secure the presence of the applicant, which is not permissible in the eyes of law.

Guha's counsel submitted that he will file an undertaking that he will remain present before the trial court for further proceedings without fail.

Noting that the issue requires consideration, the court issued notice to the state of Gujarat and suspended the notice till the next date of hearing.

The criminal defamation complaint filed against Thakurta by one of India's leading corporate houses, Adani, pertains primarily to an article about the business conglomerate co-authored by Thakurta. It was co-authored by Thakurta, when he was the Editor of Economic and Political Weekly, alleging that Narendra Modi's government tweaked special economic zone rules which ultimately led to the Adani Group reaping a benefit of Rs 500 crore.