Congress party worker to pay ₹5 lakh compensation to hospital in Mangaluru for derogatory remark

A court in Mangaluru has directed Congress party worker and social activist P. Sunil Bajilakeri to pay a compensation of ₹5 lakh to Mangala Nursing Home for posting derogatory comments on social media against the hospital.

On January 22, 2nd Additional Senior Civil Judge and Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mangaluru, H. Satish, partly allowed the suit of the hospital, and ordered compensation of ₹5 lakh, with 6% interest per annum.

Bajilakeri was directed to pay the compensation amount within three months from the date of decree. The magistrate restrained Bajilakeri from making and publishing defamatory statements or photos, pictures, articles relating to the hospital in any social platform, TV news channel, and newspaper. Further, he was restrained from trespassing into any portion of the hospital, or causing any damage to the property.

In the suit for perpetual injunction and claiming compensation, P. Ganapathi and Anitha G. Bhat – partners in the hospital – said, during the first COVID-19 wave, the hospital was recognised by the district administration as a covid hospital. About 105 COVID patients were admitted and 105 patients got discharged in the period.

A man named Sadashivam was admitted to the hospital on September 1, 2020, with COVID-19 infection. Despite advise by the hospital to the patient and his family members to get treatment in another hospital to get claims under Ayushman Bharath scheme of the government, they insisted on continuation of treatment in Mangala hospital.

Sadashivam succumbed on September 13, 2020. Considering the economic condition of the family of the deceased, the hospital provided a concession of ₹1.49 lakh in the total bill amount of ₹3.12 lakh. After adjusting mediclaim policy of the deceased, the hospital told family members to pay the balance ₹60,000.

Bajilakeri rushed to the hospital, along with family members of the deceased, and refused to pay the balance amount. They insisted that healthcare staff show them the body of the deceased. They allegedly abused doctors and other healthcare staff in the intensive care unit.

On the same day, he posted live videos on Facebook accusing the hospital of medico-negligence, and accusing the hospital of extracting money from the family of the deceased. Accusing Dr. Ganapathi of being incompetent to treat COVID-19 patient, Bajilakeri continued to make derogatory remarks and defaming the plaintiffs through posts on Facebook till the time of filing of the suit. These posts have damaged the reputation of the hospital and its partners, and have caused serious mental trauma, the plaintiffs stated.

Terming the posts by Bajilakeri as scandalous and derogatory, the magistrate said, “… no person is having any right to tarnish the image of any individual in the society and notably, it takes lengthy time and hard work for any person to gain reputation in the society.”

Before making any imputation or passing any remark, the person should have first-hand knowledge, and he should verify the information, the magistrate observed.

Published – February 21, 2026 04:45 pm IST