Two Journalists pay Rs.10,000 as hockey player Mrs. Anurita Saini wins the first round

Two prominent journalists and four present and former women hockey players pay Rs.10,000 each as surety for bail in the criminal defamation case filed against them by Asian Games gold medalists Anurita Saini.

Saini filed a criminal defamation case against Times Now Television, Times of India newspaper, and also four national players – Helen Mary, Rosalind Ralte, Chanu and Deepikamurthy – for willful damaging of her name and fame in what is popularly known as Ranjitha’s accusation of ‘sexual’ harassment by coach MK Kaushik.

The case was heard by the Justice Rajinder Singh in the Saket court in New Delhi on Friday. Times Now editor Arnab Goswamy, Time of India reporter Arghya Ganghuly, and the four girls came to the court in the company of bevy of lawyers. The Judge asked the petitioner whether she would accept their apology and close the case. It seems all the accused were ready to tender apology.

However, Saini, an Asian gold medalist in hockey, refused to accept apology and wanted the case to continue. Uponwhich the next hearing is posted for midway in March.

All the six persons including Times Now editor Arnab Goswani were asked to pay a personal surety of Rs.10,000 each for bail and, as they complete the formality, were then let off.

It is worthwhile to recall that a newspaper (Times of India) and a television channel (Times Now) had almost ran what seemed an one-sided campaign against Coach Kaushik and wittingly or unwittingly dragging Mrs. Saini in the muddle. It was unfortunate, following them, Mrs. Saini who was not with the team for the past two years, has been recklessly connected to the case by other sections of media as well.

Never having written anything on women hockey as far as this writer remembers, Arghya Ganguly all of sudden wrote a lead article quoting these four girls how Mrs. Saini had an ‘illicit’ relationship with Kaushik and things like that. In complete contravention of established journalistic ethics the views of the other party, Mrs. Saini, was not quoted that day or in the effectful days.

Further, it is to be noted that all the four girls mentioned above went on air only in Times Now and castigated Kaushik and linked Mrs. Saini to him, quoting their ‘own experiences’. It is strongly felt then that though present player Ranjitha has accused of coach something, why those like Chanu and Helen, who left international hockey four years ago, had to jump in.

“I don’t even know Ranjitha. She was not in the team when I was the manager. I left being with the team years ago. A new player has complained something about her coach. In what way am concerned? I have two grown up sons, family. For no fault of mine, these girls and the media spoilt my image, mental composure etc. I will therefore fight this case fully, and see they are punished”, Saini said.

She has claimed Rs.20 lac as damages.

Salient aspects of Mrs.Saini’s notice to the players and the media are given below:

That you noticee no.1 with intention to cause harm to my clientess had made following false imputations in the Times of India newspaper dated 22.07.2010 published from Delhi which is widely circulated :

“Mary told TOI from Mumbai. “I had complained to the federation about Kaushik and Anurita Saini, the then manager, after coming back from the World Cup in 2006 in Spain. No one supported me then. They thought I was blaming Kaushik and Saini because I was removed from captaincy. On the next tour, when a selector accompanied the team, she complained about the same things. So they removed Saini. But you have to ask the federation why they did not sack Kaushik. I did not want to go back to the team which was being coached by Kaushik so I quit”.

Then had complained about Kaushik and Saini having an ‘Illicit affair”. There were 16-17 years old girls around and you can imagine what they must have felt when they encountered Kaushik and Saini sleeping together on the same berth during one of our train journeys. They used to spend long hours locked in the hotel room. Saini would also often come drunk to the team meeting”

Mary added : At the junior world cup a few years ago, a girl got injured and the members of the team kept looking for Saini for help but she was not there in her room. Left with no option, they called up Kaushik’s room and they could hear the voice of Saini in the background”.

9. That you noticee No.2 also made following false imputations to cause harm to my clientess in Times of India Newspaper dated 23.07.2010 :

“Another player, Rosalind Ralte said ‘We had seen how Kaushik conducted himself in the last few years, during the camps and tours. His brazen affair with the then team manager Anurita Saini and how he went ahead despite us catching him in compromising position How he was so insensitive and fearless about being caught. So when Ranjita came to us crying in the month of March that Kaushik was sexually harassing her there was no reason to disbelieve her”.

10. That you noticee No. 5 & 6 got published lebellous matter in the newspaper and had not made any inquiry about the truthfulness of the statements and had not acted with due care and attention and deliberately published the said news to cause harm to my clientess and you are responsible for such publication, thereby committed offence punishable under Section 499/500 IPC.

11. That you noticee No.3 and 4 made false imputations against my client on news channels, especially on NDTV on 22/23.07.2010 to cause harm to my clientess.

12. That all of you in conspiracy with each other with intention of causing harm to my clientess had made imputations in the newspaper and in the News Channel maliciously, recklessly and not for public good, tranquility, peace of public security and are not made in good faith.

13. That by these false imputations made by all of you in newspapers as well as on news channels my clientess reputation has been lowered in the eyes of public and the persons knowing me personally and my clientess is not able to face her own children.

You all are therefore, called upon through this Notice to withdraw your statements made in the newspaper as well as on the news channels within 7 days of the receipt of this notice failing which my client clientess shall file criminal complaint under Section 499/500 IPC and to pay a sum of Rs.20,00,000/- (Rupees Twenty lacs only) as damages for causing harm in the reputation of my clientess within 7 days failing which my clientess shall file a suit for damages in the appropriate court of law at your costs, risks and consequences.