Mumbai: Islamic preacher Dr Zakir Naik has slapped a defamation suit against Times Now’s Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami. Dr. Naik has sought Rs 500 crore as damages from Arnab Goswami and other office bearers for allegedly defaming him.
As per India. com reports, Zaik Naik’s lawyer Mubin Solkar, issued a legal notice against Arnab Goswami, Megha Prasad (Bureau Chief – Times Now), Avinash Kaul (CEO– Times Now), Sunil Lulla (CEO – Times Global Broadcasting Co. Ltd) and Times Global Broadcasting Co. Ltd.
The defamation notice says that Gowswami made false and defamatory statements against Naik on his popular show ‘The Newshour Debate’ causing grave damage to his reputation in the public eye.
“It is you (Arnab Goswami) who is willfully without any authority carrying out a media trial and influencing the minds of the public and authority to the detriment of my client’s (Zakir Naik) interest and are malign statement without verifying records. The statements so made by you publically, is misleading and contain falsehood and half truths. You have intentionally maligned my client’s reputation. You on your television channel have started a hate campaign against my client without having knowledge of the truth which you have deliberately hidden,” the notice states.
“My client is not in a position to ascertain the actual monetary damages suffered by him for your wrongful action. However, my client for the present estimates that the damage suffered by him is estimated at an amount not less than Rs.500 crores,” says the notice.
Dr Naik also sought an apology from Goswami and Times Now and asked the channel to withdraw statements made against him.