MASSIVE DEFEAT FOR SONIA GANDHI IN US COURT

Anti-Sonia ad: US court dismisses defamation suit

Indo-Asian News Service
Saturday, August 16, 2008, (_Washington_ (http://www.ndtv.com/convergen
ce/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080061825&ch=8/16/2008%2011:39:00%20PM) )A New Jersey
court has dismissed a $100 million defamation suit filed by the Indian
National Overseas Congress (INOC) for allegedly maligning Congress president Sonia
Gandhi, saying it has no locus standi to claim damages.

The defamation case arose from a full-page advertisement in the New _York_
(http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080061825&c...
8%2011:39:00%20PM) Times on October 6, 2007, levelling several charges
against Gandhi and her son Rahul during the _United_
(http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080061825&c...)
Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson's visit to the UN.

_Monmouth_
(http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080061825&c...) County Superior Court Judge Patricia
DelBueno Cleary Friday dismissed the case holding that INOC was not the proper
party and did not have the locus standi to bring a claim of defamation because
none of the statements were of or about it, Satyanarayana Dospati, one of the
defendants, said.

A detailed judgment would be made available next week. INOC was not
immediately available for comment.

INOC had filed two separate cases relating to the advertisement, one in New
Jersey and another in _New York_
(http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080061825&c...) , seeking $100
million in actual, compensatory, and punitive damages in addition to costs and
disbursements, legal fees and other relief that the court might consider proper.

The defendants in the New Jersey case were the Hindu International Council
Against Defamation, Mahatma Gandhi International Foundation, Hindu
International Council Against Defamation, Mahatma Gandhi Center and Hindu Temple, Naresh
Sharma, Satyanarayana Dospati and Sunanda Thali whose names appeared on the
advertisement

The case in New York was filed against Narain Kataria and Arish Sahani of
"Forum for Saving Gandhi's Heritage" whose names appeared in the advertisement.

Both INOC and defendants in the case filed in New York have already filed
written submissions and oral arguments are scheduled for October 2.

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