Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court has clarified that the fashion show attended by IAS officer Smita Sabharwal, along with her husband, was not part of her official duties. The court stated that an article published by Outlook magazine on the fashion show was not against official duties and the Telangana government. The defamation suit she filed against the magazine was private and had no public interest. The court ordered Smitha to repay Rs 15 lakhs, which were paid under court expenditures to file the suit by the Telangana government, in 90 days. In case of non-payment, the government is directed to collect the amount within the next 30 days and inform the Registrar General ordered the court.
In 2015, IAS officer Smita Sabharwal and her husband attended a fashion show at a hotel, and an article was published in Outlook magazine entitled 'No Boring Babu'. It includes comments on her as well as the Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. Smita Sabharwal issued notices to Outlook magazine and filed a defamation suit of Rs 10 crore. She wrote a letter to the government asking it to pay a court fee of Rs 9.75 lakh. The government allowed this and the GO has released sanctioning Rs 15 lakh, along with court fees and expenses. V Vidyasagar and K Ishwara Rao have filed separate public interest litigation and another petition challenging this order. A bench comprising Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavali heard the case and delivered its verdict recently.
Article 282 states that the Central and State Governments have the power to provide funding for the public good, but that it is not in the public interest for a private individual to go against another private entity. The government also not taking any action said the court. It is not appropriate to place a financial burden on the public treasury for the benefit of the private individual. The court ruled that the government's decision was unreasonable and against the public interest.
