SC protects TV news editor from coercive action in doctored clip case

India

pti-PTI

New
Delhi,
Aug
05:
The
Supreme
Court docket
Friday
protected
a
TV
Information
editor
and
restrained
authorities
in
numerous
states
from
taking
any
coercive
actions
in opposition to
him
in
connection
with
a number of
FIRs
for
enjoying
a
doctored
clip
of
Congress
chief
Rahul
Gandhi
throughout
the
telecast
of
a
programme
on
July
1.

A
bench
of
Justices
DY
Chandrachud
and
JB
Pardiwala
issued
discover
to
Rajasthan
and
Chhattisgarh
governments
and
stated
that
no
motion
be
taken
regarding
the
FIRs
lodged
in
Raipur
and
at
Sikar
on
the
identical
trigger
of
motion.

The
bench
stated
that
the
investigation
regarding
the
first
FIR
lodged
in opposition to
TV
information
editor
Rajnish
Ahuja
at
Jaipur
will
proceed.
Senior
advocate
Siddharth
Dave,
showing
for
Ahuja,
stated
he
is
prepared
to
take part
in
the
investigation
lodged
at
Jaipur
however
there
are
a number of
FIRs
lodged
in opposition to
him
over
the
identical
telecast
and
he
can’t
be
harassed
by
being
summoned
at
totally different
locations
concurrently.

The
bench
famous
that
the
channel
had
withdrawn
the
telecast
on
the
very
subsequent
day
and
had
tendered
an
apology
over
the
problem.
It
referred
to
the
order
handed
by
the
prime
court docket
with
respect
to
the
information
anchor
of
the
present.

On
July
8,
the
prime
court docket
granted
reduction
to
TV
information
anchor
Rohit
Ranjan
and
restrained
numerous
state
authorities
from
taking
coercive
steps
in opposition to
him
to
take
him
in
custody
in
connection
with
a number of
FIRs
for
enjoying
a
doctored
clip
of
Congress
chief
Rahul
Gandhi
throughout
the
telecast
of
a
programme
on
July
1.

The
interim
safety
to
the
information
anchor
had
come
from
a
trip
bench
which
additionally
issued
notices
to
the
Centre
and
states
of
Chhattisgarh,
Rajasthan,
and
Uttar
Pradesh
searching for
their
responses
on
Ranjan’s
plea
for
quashing
of
complaints
or
FIRs
regarding
the
telecast.
The
information
anchor
later
apologised
and
the
information
programme
was
withdrawn.

Ranjan
had
informed
the
prime
court docket
that
as
of
now,
three
FIRs
have
been
registered
in opposition to
him
at
Jaipur,
Raipur,
and
Noida
in opposition to
the
identical
broadcast.
He
had
stated
an
unintentional
error
was
dedicated
in
the
programme
and
an
apology
has
been
tendered.
In
his
petition,
the
information
anchor
has
sought
reduction
together with
the
quashing
of
FIRs
or
complaints
or
their
clubbing
and
switch
to
one
place.
Ranjan
has
additionally
sought
a
course
that
no
coercive
motion
be
taken
in opposition to
him
for
the
withdrawn
programme
for
which
he
and
the
channel
have
apologised.

The
petition
has
sought
safety
for
the
journalist,
his
household
members,
and
his
colleagues
related
with
the
programme
in
query.
“The
current
writ
petition
is
being
filed
beneath
Article
32
of
the
Structure
praying
for
the
quashing
/clubbing
of
virtually
an identical
prison
complaints.
FIRs
have been
filed
throughout
the
nation
in opposition to
the
petitioner.
The
petitioner
prays
for
the
keep
of
coercive
motion
throughout
the
pendency
of
the
current
petition,”
the
plea
by
the
information
anchor
has
stated.

It
has
stated
Ranjan
“anchored
/hosted
a
programme
on
Zee
Information
on
July
1,
2022.
The
information
present
inadvertently
misattributed
sure
quotes
and
the
error
was
instantly
rectified.
An
unconditional
apology
was
tendered
by
the
petitioner
and
Zee
Information
and
the
information
present
was
withdrawn
even
prior
to
the
registration
or
submitting
of
any
FIR
and
criticism”.

Nonetheless,
subsequently,
a number of
FIRs
and
complaints
have
been
filed
in opposition to
the
petitioner
beneath
numerous
provisions
of
regulation
for
the
identical
incident,
it
stated.
Referring
to
numerous
judgements,
the
plea
stated,
“There
can
be
no
second
FIR
and
consequently
there
can
be
no
contemporary
investigation
in
respect
of
the
identical
cognizable
offence
or
incident
giving
rise
to
one
or
extra
cognizable
offences.”

“Since
it
is
not possible
for
the
petitioner
to
method
numerous
courts/police
stations
all
over
the
nation
in
respect
of
such
FIRs/complaints,
the
current
writ
petition
is
being
filed
beneath
Article
32
in opposition to
the
violation
of
the
basic
rights
assured
beneath
Article
19
(1)
(a)
(freedom
of
speech
and
expression)
and
Article
21
(proper
to
life
and
liberty)
of
the
Structure,”
it
has
stated.

Moreover,
the
problem
was
coated
beneath
the
provisions
of
the
Cable
Tv
Networks
(Regulation)
Act,
1995
and
the
Programming
Guidelines
in opposition to
the
broadcaster,
it
stated.
“Due to this fact,
when
there
is
particular
regulation
dealing
with
the
points
in
query,
there
was
no
query
to
invoke
the
prison
statute
or
registration
of
FIRs,”
the
plea
stated.