Top Bollywood producers file law suit against certain media houses for 'irresponsible reporting'

Production companies of Karan Johar, Yash Raj, Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan are a part of the case by four film industry associations and 34 producers, reports NDTV.

Film critic Taran Adarsh tweeted: "BOLLYWOOD STRIKES BACK... Leading film associations [4] and top production houses [34] file lawsuit against reporting by certain media houses in #DelhiHC... #AamirKhan #AjayDevgn #AkshayKumar #SRK #AdityaChopra #KJo #RohitShetty #RiteshSidhwani #SajidNadiadwala."

Republic TV, Arnab Goswami, Pradeep Bhandari, Times Now, Rahul Shivshankar, Navika Kumar have been named in the suit filed before the Delhi High Court, reports Hindustan Times.

The news channels are accused of using derogatory words such as “dirt”, “filth”, “scum”, “druggies” and expressions such as “all the perfumes of Arabia cannot take away the stench and the stink of this filth and scum of the underbelly of Bollywood”, the newspaper reported.

The Chief Finance Officer (CFO) of Republic TV was summoned by the Mumbai Police for questioning on Saturday in connection with allegations that the television channel paid viewers to increase its ratings.

The Mumbai Police earlier said Republic TV is among the three channels which have been investigated for rigging ratings, spreading fake narratives and illegally gaining ad revenues.  

Rubbishing the allegations, Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami had earlier said he will file a criminal defamation case against Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh.

Goswami had also accused Singh of making false allegations against his channel as Republic TV had questioned Mumbai Police's role in the probe into the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput.