JUDGMENT :

Tarlok Singh Chauhan, J.

The appellants are the defendants, who have suffered a decree at the hands of the learned trial Court, which in turn, has been affirmed by the learned first appellate Court, constraining them to file the instant appeal.

2. The parties shall be referred to as the 'plaintiff' and 'defendants'.

3. The plaintiff filed a suit for libel claiming therein damages to the tune of Rs.10,00,000/-. It was averred that the plaintiff remained posted as District Ayurvedic Officer, Kangra at Dharamshala till March, 2007 and had many friends and relations in the said Division and he retired as District Ayurvedic Officer in March, 2007 and also being a permanent resident of Village and Post Office Dhaliara, Tehsil Dehra, District Kangra, H.P. enjoyed high respect and great reputation in the society. The defendants, who are the Editor, Publisher, Printer and Correspondent of 'Divya Himachal', respectively, on 31.01.2007, falsely and maliciously printed and published a news item under the heading of "SWARAN BHASAM KAND MAIN CHHEH NILAMBIT" and thereby projected that the plaintiff along with others has been suspended, whereas, no such order of suspension was passed agains