The Supreme Court of India (SC) on Monday put a stay on the criminal defamation proceeding against an Indian newspaper editorial director, Jaideep Bose, who took the case before the apex court after the Karnataka High Court refused to quash the proceedings against him.

Jaideep Bose is the editorial director of Bennett Coleman and Company Limited, publisher of The Times of India. The bench was headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud along with two other SC judges.

The case was initiated against the petitioners in 2014 when Bose and others were accused of publishing a defamatory article in the newspaper The Times of India. The article mentioned an artwork auction where they allegedly regarded the artwork of celebrated artists as fake.

In the case before the high court, titled Bennett Coleman And Co Ltd & Others and M/s Bid And Hammer Auctioneers Private Limited, Bose asserted the information given was expert opinion which cannot be regarded as defamation. While the high court in its order quashed proceedings against the company as the complaint included no assertions regarding the participation of the company in the alleged defamatory article, it refused to quash the proceedings against Bose.

The Indian constitution protects the press and media under Article 19(1)(a), which underlines freedom of speech and expression. The Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867 regulates the establishment and operation of printing presses and newspapers in India along with preserving the copies of published materials, keeping track of published materials, and ensuring accountability.