The Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate Court (SDJM), Bhubaneswar, has handed over the defamation case filed by litterateur Haraprasad Das against Odia daily ‘Sambad Kalika’ and its editor Jayasish Ray to the Khordha District and Sessions Judge Court.
Das had also named Manu Dash, Kulangar, Umakant Rout, Asit Mohanty, Pallishree Patnaik, Amiya Pandav and Bimalendu Mohanty in the defamation suit for writing against him in media and social media over sexual harassment allegation levelled against him by writer Pallishree Patnaik.
After transfer of the case, the district court would now decide in which court the case would be heard. But the restriction imposed on the newspaper editor and others would remain in force.
Sources said the SDJM Court transferred the case as Ray filed a petition raising his doubt on getting justice from the judge.
Palisshree had alleged that Das had first befriended her on Facebook and then started sending obscene messages and sought sexual favours on the pretext of boosting her literary career.
She had lodged a defamation case against Das at the court of Civil Judge Senior Division, Bhawanipatna seeking Rs 50 lakh in damages for allegedly harassing her on social media. Earlier, she had lodged an FIR at the Bhawanipatna Town police station seeking stringent action against Das.