Abhishek Manu Singhvi CD Scandal Delhi HC restrains media houses from publishing the contents of CD

The Delhi High Court has restrained Congress leader and Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi’s former driver, Mukesh Kumar Lal and three media houses from publishing the contents of a CD which allegedly contains video clippings of the senior lawyer in compromising positions..The Delhi High Court has restrained Congress leader and Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi’s former driver, Mukesh Kumar Lal and three media houses from publishing the contents of a CD which allegedly contains video clippings of the senior lawyer in compromising positions. The order has provided some relief to Singhvi, who had moved the Delhi High Court last week..The civil suit in which the interim order has been passed, has been filed by Abhimanyu Bhandari (founding partner of Axon Partners) and Abhishek Manu Singhvi. Sangeeta Sharma appeared as Counsel for Singhvi before the Delhi High Court..Justice Reva Khetrapal in her order said, “Irreparable injury is likely to be caused to the reputation and goodwill of plaintiff no. 2 (Abhishek Manu Singhvi) in case the defendants are not restrained from disseminating the information allegedly in their possession in the form of CD”, reports Firstpost..The Court has restrained media houses including Aaj Tak, Headlines Today and The India Today Group from publishing the CD which was prepared by Mukesh Kumar Lal..“Till the next date, the defendants, their agents and all other acting for and/or on their behalf are restrained from publishing, broadcasting, disseminating or distributing in any form or manner the contents of any alleged CD or any other material as described in the plaint in relation to Abhishek Manu Singhvi,” the Court said..Singhvi in his petition states that Mukesh Kumar Lal had been his driver for several years but finally left the job on March 17, 2012 without prior notice. On March 24, 2012 Lal called up Singhvi and allegedly tried to blackmail him. Singhvi alleges that Lal tried to extort huge amounts of money, threatening to hand over the CD to media houses if Singhvi did not pay up. Singhvi has claimed that such a CD either does not exist or if it does, it is clearly and obviously morphed, fabricated and forged. In his petition, Singhivi states that publication of the contents of the CD would only be for sensational and salacious purposes. Furthemore, such publication would amount to a gross and irreparable violation of an individual’s privacy and would be per se defamatory..The Court has now sought a response from media houses and Lal. The matter is now listed on May 21, 2012..Singhvi had also filed a complaint in the Gulmohar Park police station, Delhi on March 23 against Lal.