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Kapil Sibal tells court he will try mediation with Barkha Dutt over Tiranga TV dispute

Senior journalist Barkha Dutt had filed a case demanding Rs 74 lakh in damages after Kapil Sibal and wife Promila Sibal shut down Tiranga TV in July 2019.

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New Delhi: Congress leader Kapil Sibal and his wife Promila Sibal told a Delhi court Thursday that they would want to try mediation with senior journalist Barkha Dutt, who filed a case last year demanding Rs 74 lakh in damages with interest after the Sibals suddenly shut down their English news channel Tiranga TV in July 2019.

Dutt worked as an anchor and consulting editor with the channel.

During the hearing, Sibals’ lawyer told judge Ravinder Bedi that he would need more time to file a written statement in response to Dutt’s petition, because he wanted to try the option of mediation with the journalist.

An application filed by Sibals’ lawyer asserted that Dutt’s suit is “legally untenable, baseless and wholly mala-fide” and alleged that she had failed to disclose “substantial payments” made to her in connection with her contract.

Sibal demanded that the matter be referred to time-bound mediation process, submitting that he “strongly believes that the instant matter can be resolved to the satisfaction of all concerned without the Plaintiff (Dutt) having to engage in a protracted legal battle in relation to a claim which, it is respectfully submitted, has no legal basis.”

Sibal requested the court to allow him to file the written statement after the conclusion of the mediation proceedings.

The petition was filed in October last year and Sibal was to file the written statement within 90 days from the service of summons on him. According to his application, this period ends on 17 January.

The court, however, directed Sibal to file his response within the next 15 days, and posted the case for hearing in April.


Also read: Kapil Sibal has made a habit of embarrassing the Congress


Barkha Dutt’s allegations

In her plea against the Sibals and their company Analog Media Private Limited, Dutt has claimed that she was assured that the channel would continue to function for at least two years. She was also allegedly asked to terminate her contracts with other platforms when the channel was eventually put on air.

Represented by advocates Raghav Awasthi and Mukesh Sharma, Dutt said in her plea, accessed by ThePrint, that she was assured that the channel would launch by 12 November, but the eventual on-air launch took place only on 26 January.

She demanded an amount of Rs 74,02,140, at 18 per cent interest, which she said included her pending salary, remuneration for extra work and compensation for breach of contract.


Also read: Tiranga TV, 2G or EVMs: Kapil Sibal reserves his best performances for the worst causes


 

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