Mangaluru: HC stays defamation lawsuit; issues notice to Dr Kakkilaya

Mangaluru: Karnataka High Court stayed the defamation case filed by a city-based doctor, Dr. B S Kakkilaya, against the office bearers of the Mangaluru-chapter of the Indian Medical Association (IMA).

The single-judge bench of Justice M Nagaprasanna acceded to the plea by the IMA office-bearers requesting to stay the proceedings in the District Court. The court also issued a notice to Dr. Kakkillaya and posted further proceedings to August 26.

Dr. Kakkilaya had invited the public ire after he was seen in a supermarket without wearing a face mask, during the height of the Covid pandemic. A case has been registered against the doctor for breaking the law.

The IMA office-bearers, talking to the press, had condemned the behavior of the medical doctor.

Dr. Kakkilaya had filed a defamation lawsuit in the distrcit court for the remarks of the IMS office-bearers and others for their public comments.