IMPORTANT POINTS
(1) FIR – Even though FIR need not be an encyclopaedia, it must contain basic facts and allegations constituting commission of cognizable offence(s).
(2) Allegation of engaging with external businesses in an unethical or coercive manner may give rise to civil liability, but not those under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

ORDER

Mehta, J.

1. Heard.

2. Leave granted.

3. Facts giving rise to the instant appeal by special leave present a glaring example of an influential media house managing to get an FIR registered against one of its own executives after a fall-out with the management and that too with vague, speculative, and baseless allegations.

4. The appellant before us, Ashish Dave, was d serving as the Channel Head of a well-known media house by name of Zee Rajasthan and Zee 24 Ghanta (West Bengal). The said media house is owned by a company named Zee Media Corporation Limited (ZMCL)¹ [Hereinafter, referred to as the “complainant-company”]. It appears that relations between the media house and the appellant herein ran into choppy waters in the year 2025, pursuant to which the authorised representative of the company approached Police Station Ashok Nagar, District Jaipur City (South), Rajasthan with a complaint, which straightaway came to be registered as FIR No.257 of 2025 dated 4th September, 2025 for the offences punishable under Sections 308 (2), 318(4) and 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023² [For short, ‘ BNS ’.] (corresponding to Sections 384 , 420, and 506 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860³ [For short, ‘ IPC ’] respectively).

5. The complaint is extracted hereinbelow for the sake of ready reference: -

“We, Zee Media Corporation Limited (ZMCL/ Company) having our Regional office at E-151 Ramesh Marg, -Scheme, Jaipur 302001, through our authorized representative Mr. Sanju Raju, hereby file this criminal complaint against Ashish Dave s/o Sri Mohan Chandra Nagar resident of 33, Durga Vihar Colony, Opposite Ram Mandir, Tonk Road, Jaipur, Rajasthan, who was employed with the company in the capacity of Channel Head - Zee Rajasthan Zee 24 Ghanta working at our Jaipur office. Ashish Dave has been associated with the company since 21.03.2023 and held a senior position overseeing editorial and operational decisions. This complaint is being made on the basis of internal findings and multiple complaints received by the Company, indicating a pattern of unauthorized financial dealings, abuse of authority, and acts done with malafide intent to damage the reputation of the company. The Company has received reports indicating that Ashish Dave has misrepresented his authority and using the name of the Company to engage with external businesses in an unethical and coercive manner. These communications suggest that Mr. Dave purportedly demanded monetary favours from various vendors and entities under the threat of broadcasting negative or damaging news content on the channels owned and operated by the Company. It has recently come to the knowledge of the Company, through multiple third-party complaints and communications, that he has allegedly abused his position and misused the Company's brand and media platform to pursue personal motives and exert undue pressure on external parties. It is specifically stated that Ashish Dave used the Company's news channels to broadcast negative, threatening, or defamatory content in an attempt to pressure others into complying with his personal demands. Pursuant to these threats, negative content has been aired and circulated through the Company’s channels and associated digital platforms, thereby misrepresenting that such broadcasts were authorized and sanctioned by the Company. The Company categorically denies having authorized or endorsed any such actions, and affirms that such alleged conduct, if proven, is entirely personal in nature and in abuse of the authority and reso