Remembering B.G. Verghese: Veteran Journalist Who Stood by His Reporter in Bhiwani Defamation Case

Gustakhi Maaf Haryana — Pawan Kumar Bansal

Remembering B. G. Verghese, a distinguished journalist and editor.

About 45 years ago, he appeared before the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate in Bhiwani (Haryana) in a defamation case filed by the then Superintendent of Police, Bhiwani, against me. At the time, I was a reporter with The Indian Express, posted in Jind. The SP had instituted both criminal and civil defamation proceedings against me and against Verghese ji, who was then Editor-in-Chief.

It was a mark of his integrity and leadership that he travelled from Delhi to personally appear before the CJM in Bhiwani. The judge even offered him tea after the proceedings. Verghese ji stood firm and said, “Bansal’s story is correct, and The Indian Express will defend him.” The case was eventually dismissed.

Tailpiece:
In the criminal case, my bail surety was furnished by Comrade Balbir, a Class III employee of the Bhiwani Treasury.

In those days, both The Indian Express and its sister publication Jansatta were known for editors who stood solidly behind their reporters. Even the proprietor, Ram Nath Goenka, would defend his journalists.

In 1987, the then Haryana Chief Minister, Devi Lal, complained against me to Goenka ji. I was then reporting for Jansatta from Chandigarh, covering the Haryana beat. Devi Lal was displeased with my reporting, but Goenka ji stood by me.