HC holds in camera session on IAS officer’s defamation case

The PIL bench of the High Court at Hyderabad comprising Acting Chief Justice Dilip B Bhosale and Justice SV Bhatt held an ‘in-camera’ session on the case relating to the state government (Telangana) granting Rs 15 lakh to an IAS officer who was fighting a defamation case.

The bench was dealing with two separate public interest writ petitions filed by Vatsala Vidya Sagar, a social activist and K Eshwar Rao. K Eshwar Rao questioned the action of the state government in granting Rs 15 lakh to IAS officer Smita Sabharwal . The IAS officer had filed a defamation case against the English magazine Outlook .

Vidya Sagar questioned a government order that ordered the IAS officer to pay back the amount if she won the case. The petitioner complained that the government did not mention about the funds if the IAS officer lost the case. "How can the petitioner say that the amount was sanctioned to a private individual? Prima facie the respondent who is an IAS officer (Smita) is a government servant", the bench said.

Advocate General K Ramakrishna Reddy urged the court to have an ‘in-camera’ session as the case involved several things which cannot be revealed in the court hall. The bench adjourned the matter to Monday.