Bengaluru Court orders Kannada news channel to pay ₹1 lakh for defaming Karnataka Bank

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Published 26 October 2026

Case: Karnataka Bank Ltd. v. M/s. Dighvijaya 24x7 News and Ors.
Bench: Judge Not Specified
Source: Bar & Bench

Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF)

The City Civil and Sessions Court, Bengaluru, ordered M/s. Dighvijaya 24x7 News to pay ₹1 lakh to Karnataka Bank Ltd. for defamation. The court found that the news channel aired a defamatory report without verifying facts, causing damage to the bank's reputation.

Ratio Decidendi · Legal Principle Established

A news channel is liable for defamation if it publishes unverified and false information that harms the reputation of an entity, even if it later issues a clarification, as the initial broadcast causes irreparable damage.

Practice & Procedural Impact for Advocates

Advocates representing entities defamed by media can seek damages, even if a clarification is issued later. Media houses must ensure thorough verification of facts before broadcasting to avoid defamation liability.

Key Legal Takeaways

1Media houses have a duty to verify facts before broadcasting.
2Unverified defamatory reports can lead to significant financial penalties.
3Subsequent clarifications do not negate liability for initial defamation.

The Legal Issue Karnataka Bank Ltd. filed a defamation suit against M/s. Dighvijaya 24x7 News, alleging that the news channel aired a false and defamatory report on November 25, 2021. The report claimed that the bank had defrauded customers by collecting money for a gold scheme and then failing to deliver the gold. The bank contended that this report was baseless, unverified, and caused significant damage to its reputation and public trust.

Court's Reasoning The City Civil and Sessions Court, Bengaluru, examined the evidence presented, including the news report and the bank's denial. The court found that the news channel failed to verify the facts before broadcasting the report. The court noted that while the news channel later issued a clarification, the initial broadcast had already caused irreparable damage to the bank's image. The court emphasized the responsibility of media organizations to exercise due diligence and verify information before disseminating it to the public. The court concluded that the unverified and false report amounted to defamation, entitling the bank to damages.

What Follows The City Civil and Sessions Court, Bengaluru, ordered M/s. Dighvijaya 24x7 News and its associated individuals to jointly and severally pay a sum of ₹1 lakh to Karnataka Bank Ltd. as damages for defamation. The court also directed the news channel to be cautious in its future reporting and to ensure factual accuracy.