Raajje TV negligence lawsuit thrown out

The civil court has thrown out Raajje TV’s lawsuit against the state for failure to protect the station from the 2013 arson attack that destroyed its studios and master control room.

The lawsuit was filed citing police incompetence in protecting the broadcaster’s assets, despite information being given to law enforcement authorities about the possibility of an attack.

Raajje TV cited a Police Integrity Commission report, which found that police negligence had led to the attack.

Chief Operating Officer Hussain Fiyaz Moosa said lawyers were notified in writing that the court’s registrar had not accepted the suit.

“The court referred to the case filed against police for failure to protect by the family of Yameen Rasheed which was dismissed by a judge after he declared that the court did not have jurisdiction. They said that the cases are similar,” Fiyaz said.

The family of slain blogger Yameen Rasheed filed a lawsuit in September over police failure to protect him despite reporting numerous death threats.

Judge Abdul Nasir Shafeeq decided the court did not have the jurisdiction to hear the negligence suit because investigating complaints of police misconduct was the task of the National Integrity Commission – previously the Police Integrity Commission.

Fiyaz said the Raajje TV case had been investigated by the commission so was not comparable to the Yameen Rasheed negligence case.

The station’s lawsuit had asked the court for damages, valued at MVR11.6million (US$752,000).

Fiyaz said Raajje TV planned to appeal the dismissal.