Madras HC Directs Dainik Bhaskar To Offer Apology To The People Of Tamil Nadu For Fake News On Migrant Worker Attacks

The Madras High Court has granted anticipatory bail to Prasoon Mishra, the Digital Editor of the Hindi daily Dainik Bhaskar. However, the court imposed certain conditions, one of which requires the newspaper to publish a corrigendum on the front page of all its publications. This corrigendum must explicitly declare that the article claiming that migrant workers from Bihar were facing violence in Tamil Nadu was false or "fake" news.

Justice AD Jagadish Chandira, in an order issued on June 27, also directed the publication to offer an "unconditional apology" to both the Court and the people of Tamil Nadu.

In addition, Mishra has been instructed to furnish a bond of ₹25,000 and report to the Avadi police station daily for a week.

During the court proceedings, Mishra clarified to the Court that the news article in question was not intended to instigate panic in Tamil Nadu or create animosity between communities within the State. He expressed an unconditional apology to the Court.

The Tamil Nadu government opposed Mishra's request for anticipatory bail and argued that the news story was inaccurate, causing widespread panic throughout the State.

In March of 2023, the TN police filed a case against Dainik Bhaskar and two others for allegedly spreading misinformation regarding migrant attacks.

On March 2, Dainik Bhaskar published a news article stating that 15 migrant workers from Bihar in Tamil Nadu had reported receiving death threats. The article also claimed that these workers were facing attacks resembling those carried out by the Taliban.