COVID-19 Bed Scam: Bangalore Court restrains 8 media houses and Facebook from publishing news against BJP MLA Satish Reddy

A Bangalore Court recently restrained eight media houses as well as Facebook from reporting or publishing any news against BJP MLA Satish Reddy in relation to the alleged COVID-19 bed scam in Bengaluru..Times Internet Limited, Bennett Coleman and Company, The Printers Mysore Private Limited (which publishes Deccan Herald and Prajavani), Spunklane Media Private Limited (The NewsMinute), VRL Media Limited, Manipal Media Network Limited, Samyukta Karnataka, Prathidhvani, Facebook India and Facebook Inc have been restrained from publishing any kind of news against Reddy..In its order, the Court of XL Additional City Civil & Sessions Judge Veena M Naikar stated,“The defendants are hereby restrained from publishing, transmitting, displaying, distributing or in any manner permitting circulation of the articles, reports, videos etc., through internet or television or any other media till their appearance by way of Ad interim Temporary Injunction.”.Reddy had sued media houses including The News Minute, Deccan Herald and Prathidhwani seeking Rs 20 crore as damages for defamation after he was linked him to the arrest of one Babu in the COVID-19 bed scam alleged by BJP MP Tejaswi Surya and others..It was Reddy's case that his name was neither in the plaint or in the chargesheet, but media houses highlighted his name in connection with the bed scam in negative light..After going through the contentions of Reddy, the Court was of the view that there exists a prima facie case, and it opined that he is entitled to interim relief..A few months ago, BJP MLA Tejasvi Surya and other leaders barged into the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) COVID-19 war room and read out names of officials belonging to the Muslim community in a bid to unearth the alleged bed scam..Surya had alleged that BBMP officials and hospitals were part of an "underground business" where the latter 'blocked' beds under fake names to make money, at a time when COVID-19 cases were rising in the State..This deprived thousands of COVID-19 patients of proper medical care and hospital beds in Karnataka's capital city, it was alleged. At least 4,065 beds were 'blocked' under fake names by the hospitals to make a killing, it was reportedly alleged by Surya..The officials were subsequently suspended, prompting the Youth Congress to raise serious concerns over the episode. After the suspension, the 17 officials were reportedly reinstated to the BBMP war room..The media reported that the Central Crime Branch of Bengaluru City Police arrested one Babu, alleged to be an aide of BJP MLA Satish Reddy, in connection with the COVID-19 bed scam..[Read order]