Legal wrangle over ban on ‘The Lives of Sri Aurobindo’ written by Peter Heehs

Other States - Orissa Row over book on Aurobindo takes a turn Correspondent CUTTACK:

The legal wrangle over ban on publication and circulation of controversial book titled ‘The Lives of Sri Aurobindo’ written by US writer Peter Heehs took a different turn on Wednesday when the counsel for the writer told the Orissa High Court that the petitioner has not withdrawn her petition. HC moved
A Balasore-based woman Gitanjali Bhattacharya had moved the HC seeking ban on the publication of the book as it contains defamatory and perverse comments on Sri Aurobindo’s character, life, writings and thoughts.
But last month it was decided that the petitioner would withdraw her petition as both state government and Union government have taken steps to ban the publication of the book in India. However, when there was no response from the Central government over the ban, the petitioner told the HC that she would not withdraw the petition. The Hindu Thursday, Mar 19, 2009

No steps to ban defamatory book on Sri Aurobindo: Centre
Published: March 19, 2009 Cuttack (Orissa), Mar 18

Centre has not taken any step to ban the publication and circulation of a controversial book by an American author on Sri Aurobindo, its council told the High Court today.Centre&aposs counsel told the court that despite promising, there had been no instruction from Centre yet and sought two weeks to file the counters.
The bench of Justice I M Qudusi and Justice Kumari Sanju Panda directed the Centre&aposs counsel to obtain instructions and adjourned the case for next hearing on April 7.
Balasore-based Gitanjali Bhattacharya, who moved High Court seeking ban on the publication and circulation of "The Lives of Sri Aurobindo"written by American author Peter Heehs, did not withdraw her petition citing government did not take steps to ban the book despite promising in HC.
Orissa government had told the court that an enquiry by special branch police indicated that the book had defamatory remarks against the spiritual leader.
However, the writer&aposs counsel P K Ray also argued in the court over the maintainability of the case, giving four grounds to back his claim.
Last month, it was decided that Bhattacharya would withdraw her petition as both state government and Centre promised to take steps to ban the publication and circulation of the book in India. Source: PTI