Indian court issues warrant against Murdoch

Indian court issues warrant against Murdoch

BOMBAY (Reuter): An Indian magistrate has issued a warrant
against media baron Rupert Murdoch after a descendant of India's
apostle of non-violence, Mahatma Gandhi, complained his ancestor
was defamed by Murdoch's STAR TV, court officials said yesterday.

After a guest on a STAR TV talk show in May described Mahatma
Gandhi, regarded with god-like reverence in India, as a "bastard
bania (trader)", Gandhi's great-grandson, Tushar Gandhi,
threatened to sue STAR TV, the show's producers' TV 18, as well
as the participants, for 500 million rupees ($16 million).

In his order, issued on Monday, Chief Metropolitan Magistrate
P.S. Patankar said, "There is a prima facie case of insult and
defamation. Issue bailable warrant against accused No. 1 Rupert
Murdoch in the sum of 5,000 rupees ($170)."

Patankar declined to speak to Reuters, but lawyers said the
bailable warrant meant that Murdoch or his representative would
have to post bail of 5,000 rupees to guarantee his presence in
court at a later time.

Tushar Gandhi's lawyer, M.P. Vashi, told Reuters the
magistrate had also issued orders for police to search the STAR
TV offices in Bombay and to seize the relevant videocassette.

The next hearing in the case was set for Friday.

A STAR TV spokesman said the network had no comment.
The outcry, sparked off by comments by gay-rights activist Ashok
Row-Kavi on the show "Nikki Tonight", caused STAR TV to cancel
the program and apologies to Tushar Gandhi.

Tushar Gandhi, who happened to see the show while idly
switching channels, said at the time he wept at the insult.
"Over the last few years there's been a trend of taking potshots
at my great-grandfather," he told Reuters then. "These days it's
become trendy to blame him for everything."