The Panaji Civil Judge Senior Division Ashley Noronha today directed Former Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court Ferdino Rebello to pay costs of Rs 2000 for seeking repeated adjournments in the 75 crore defamation suit filed by him against ‘Outlook’ magazine. Judge Noronha directed that the Rs 2000 be deposited by Ferdino Rebello in the Legal Aid Cell of the Court.
Ferdino Rebello moved the Panaji Court seeking 75 crores by way of compensation from the ‘Outlook’ magazine for the alleged defamatory article published by the magazine in its issue dated 4th October 2010. Looks like anyone planning to file a defamation case would be well advised to seek former Advocate General of Goa Subodh Kantak’s opinion and guidance on his first hand turbulent experience with the libel law. In 2008 Subodh Kantak initiated defamation proceedings against me seeking 15 crores by way of compensation for the statements made against him. In that petition Subodh Kantak had complained that the allegations made against him were mentally agonizing, inconvenient and caused him a lot of indignation. But ironically Subodh Kantak after being repeatedly fined by the Court for being absent, instead of pursuing his case decided to exit possibly realizing that he was only getting further defamed on account of the documentary evidence with which he was being confronted during his cross examination. It was anticipated that this feisty jurist Ferdino Rebello versus the mighty ‘Outlook’ magazine legal battle was poised to be an interesting case for the legal fraternity to watch. But will it all end up a damp squib a la Subodh Kantak? Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: [email protected] Or [email protected] You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
