Gujarat-based NGO withdraws defamation suit against BBC for documentary on PM Modi

A Gujarat-based trust called Justice for All has withdrawn its defamation lawsuit against the UK broadcaster BBC and its Indian branch over a 2023 documentary alleging false and defamatory statements against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The NGO filed the suit in September 2023, seeking permission to proceed as an indigent person who is unable to pay court fees.

According to the provisions of the Civil Procedure Code, an indigent person is someone without sufficient means to cover court costs. If the suit succeeds, the court fees are recoverable from the losing party; otherwise, the indigent person must pay the fees. The two-part documentary, titled "India: the Modi Question," focused on the 2002 Gujarat riots and Prime Minister Modi's response during his tenure as Chief Minister.

The documentary was released in January 2023 and sparked controversy in India, prompting the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to direct YouTube and Twitter to remove links to the content. The documentary was not made available in India by BBC.