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Maneka wins case against Indira's biographer

H S Rao in London

Union Minister Maneka Gandhi on Thursday won a major legal battle against Katherine Frank, author of a book on her mother-in-law Indira Gandhi, and its publisher, as they tendered an apology before the London high court and agreed to pay 'substantial damages' for publishing certain derogatory remarks against her and her late husband Sanjay Gandhi.

Katherine Frank and publisher Harper Collins of the book Indira - The Life of Indira Nehru Gandhi, told the court through their counsel that "they will be paying Maneka Gandhi substantial damages to compensate her for the injury done to her reputation and feelings and to mark the sincerity of their apology. They will also be paying her costs in this matter".

Conceding to the demands made by Maneka in her libel suit, the counsel further said, "They accept without reservations that the allegations were utterly false and should not have been included in the biography of Indira Gandhi."

Maneka's counsel contended before the court that the book had caused her grave offence, as it had alleged that she was involved in the cover-up of her husband's responsibility for a murder in 1976.

The author and publishers' counsel, while tendering the apology, said the defendants believed the information relied upon was "correct, but they accept that that will be of little comfort to the claimant, who was, despite the defendants' absence of malice towards her personally, grievously libelled and justifiably upset by the allegations against her and her late husband".

"The defendants, through me, undertake to the court that they will not further publish the same or any similar allegations," the counsel said.

The counsel for Maneka Gandhi told the court that in view of the defendants' submission, his client was prepared to bring the proceedings to an end.

PTI

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