The News Minute Moves Karnataka High Court Challenging 'Gag Orders' In Dharmasthala Burial Case

Spunklane Media Pvt. Ltd. a company which owns and operates 'The News Minute' Web Portal has moved the Karnataka High Court challenging the ex-parte interim 'gag order' issued by the civil court against media houses in connection with the Dharmasthala burial case. 

The company has also filed a plea challenging an order passed in respect of the portal's reporting on the alleged murder of a 17-year-old girl.

The petitions are likely to be heard next week.

For context, a local court in Bengaluru had gagged various media houses and YouTube channels from publishing any "defamatory content" against respondent-plaintiff Harshendra Kumar D–brother of Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari Veerendra Heggade, his family members, institutions run by the family and Sri Manjunathaswamy temple, Dharmasthala, following which the channel approached the High Court.

The company in its petition had said that it carried out multiple publications in respect of the death of a 17-year-old girl from the town of Dharamasthala, and the recent allegations in Dharamasthala.

On 15 May 2025, it received an email from the respondent (Suresh A S) claiming articles published by the Petitioner, violated an ad-interim ex parte order dated March 22, 2025 in O.S. No. 2145/2025 passed by City Civil Court.

For context, the March 22, 2025 order was passed against defendants mentioned therein, including Defendant No. 79 i.e. John Doe. 

The Petitioner responded to the said email by stating that the Petitioner was not a party to the Suit and that the contents of the articles sought to be taken down were not defamatory.

However, without prejudice to its rights, the company temporarily took down three articles and one tweet published by it, since they were specially mentioned in the Schedule and formed a party of the Impugned Order. Thereafter, on July 11 2025, the respondents demanded the deletion of its Video, claiming it violated the Impugned Order.

The plea claims that respondents are attempting to bring the petitioner within the ambit of this order by classifying it under "John Doe/Ashok Kumar" (Defendant No. 79) despite being fully aware of the Petitioner's identity. This is part of a systematic pattern of harassment by the Respondents, who have previously filed multiple suits and made numerous demands for content removal, even when the petitioner was not legally obligated to. The

“This constitutes a deliberate strategy to obtain an ex parte injunction order. The Impugned Order has been secured by abuse of process and forum shopping. Over a time period of 18 months, the Respondents have filed multiple suits across different courts to obtain ex-parte injunctions. This pattern demonstrates a deliberate strategy to circumvent proper judicial scrutiny.” it is said.

Further, the Video is not defamatory in nature and adheres to established journalistic standards. The Impugned Order is a non-speaking has a serious effect of stifling free speech and consequently has a chilling effect on the Petitioner's fundamental right of freedom of speech and expression as guaranteed under Article 19 of the Constitution of India.

Thereafter another suit (OS No. 5185/2025) was filed by Harshendra Kumar D–brother of Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari Veerendra Heggade before the city civil court, wherein ex-parte interim injunction order was passed on July 18, 2025. 

The company has said that the order dated July 18 was passed in flagrant violation of Order 39 Rule 3 of the CPC, which mandates that notice must be given to the opposite party before granting an ex parte injunction except where the object would be defeated by delay. The trial court completely failed to record any findings, suggesting why notice to the Petitioner was dispensed with.

Further, the publications are not defamatory in nature and adheres to established journalistic standards. The ex-parte order is a non-speaking order and deserves to be vacated.

News Minute has also relied on the recent high court order passed in the case of Youtube Channel Kudla Rampage where the court set aside the ex-parte gag order in regards to the YouTube channel and directed the trial court to consider the applications afresh.

News Minute has said the petitioner company is on the same footing and the order passed in respect of the Youtube channel be extended to it as well. 

The pleas pray to set aside the ad-interim ex-parte order dated 22 March 2025 and July 18, 2025.