ORDER :

These Crl.M.C.s are filed by accused Nos.1 to 4 in C.C.No.532 of 2019 on the file of the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court-I, Thiruvananthapuram. Crl.M.C.No.8 of 2020 is filed by the 1st accused, Crl.M.C.No.1663 of 2020 is filed by the 2nd accused, Crl.M.C.No.23 of 2020 is filed by the 3rd accused and Crl.M.C.No.1666 of 2020 is filed by the 4th accused.

2. The aforesaid calendar case was registered on the basis of a complaint submitted by the 2nd respondent in Crl.M.C.No.8 of 2020 (hereinafter referred as complainant). Offences alleged against petitioners are under Sections 499 and 500 IPC. Gist of the allegation is as follows:

The 1st accused, is the Chairman and Managing Director of M/s TV Today Network Ltd., owned by M/s Living Media, 2nd accused is the Chief Executive Officer of M/s.Living media, 3rd accused is the Chairman and Managing Director of Aditya Birla Group, owner of M/s.Living Media India Ltd. and the 4th accused is M/s.TV Today Network Ltd. On 03.08.2017, India Today TV, which is a news channel, telecasted a news item at about 10 pm showing one Manikkuttan as the main accused in the murder of one Rajesh, which occurred on 29.07.2017. While, telecasting the