Shilpa Shetty defamation suit: Bombay HC says 'news reports based on police sources can't be termed malicious'

The Bombay High Court on Friday while hearing actor Shilpa Shetty's defamation case said that news reports based on police sources cannot be termed as malicious and defamatory.

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Friday while hearing actor Shilpa Shetty's defamation case said that news reports based on police sources cannot be termed as malicious and defamatory. The court further told the plaintiff's lawyer that what the actor was expecting from it will have serious consequences on the freedom of the press. "Now do you expect the court to sit back and check what sources media houses are citing for every single story?" the court told Shilpa's lawyer. The court further said, "You give me individual examples of defendants saying malicious things, I will look into it. But, news reports based on police sources cannot be called malicious and defamatory. What you are expecting me to do will have very serious consequences on freedom of press."