Is truth a defense in contempt proceedings?

Mall-aa-Mall

It was the worst news paper headline, ever in India, so far as judiciary was concerned. And it was dealt with in a worst manner by the Judiciary.
On 20 September 2007 the journalists reporting the corrupt link between the sons of retired Chief Justice of India Y.K. Sabharwal with the builders who profited from his orders, were sentenced without even deciding that truth could be defence in contempt jurisdiction or not.

But it is all part of history now. Is it? Has the law been elucidated to explain the relevance of truth in contempt proceedings? Not yet.