Delhi Court Summons BBC, Wikimedia, Internet Archive Over Controversial Modi Documentary

The BBC's documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi faces yet another legal challenge in India. Just months after the documentary's nationwide blocking, a Delhi court issued summons in a defamation case filed against the broadcaster, the Internet Archive, and the Wikimedia Foundation by a Bhartiya Janata Party politician Binay Kumar Singh, reported LiveLaw. The case is listed for May 11th. Alleging that the documentary was still publicly accessible on the Internet Archive and Wikimedia, Singh sought to restrain the broadcaster and the two websites from publishing the documentary, as well as material on two far-right Hindu groups, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). Notably, reports from January suggested that the Internet Archive had taken down the documentary. Singh, who claims to be an "active" RSS and VHP volunteer, further sought an unconditional apology from the accused, alleging that there was malicious and defamatory intent behind the documentary's findings against the RSS and VHP. “The Plaintiff has worked assiduously over decades to build his career and reputation, and if this matter is left unchecked, it will permanently demolish the Plaintiffs hard-earned reputation and career," his suit argued. "Therefore, even though the Plaintiff is a champion of free speech, he is compelled to seek an immediate injunction to safeguard his reputation and livelihood.” Why it matters: The documentary reportedly explored an unreleased British government report accusing Modi, former Chief Minister of Gujarat, of being "directly responsible for a climate of impunity" during the state's 2002 riots which led to the…