Centre informs HC about showcause notice issued to channel

New Delhi, Sep 12 (UNI) The Centre today informed the Delhi High Court that the Information and Broadcasting Ministry had issued a show cause notice yesterday to 'Live India' channel to respond within three days why action against it should not be taken for irresponsible reporting in the fake sting operation involving a school teacher.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice M K Sharma and Justice Sanjive Khanna today sought a response from the Centre on what action it was ''contemplating'' against the channel which had telecast the alleged fake sting involving Delhi school teacher Uma Khurana.

Not satisfied by the Centre's contention that the showcause notice has been issued against the channel, the Bench observed, ''Under which provision of the law you have issued the show cause notice. If offence is committed, you have to register a case and start criminal proceedings.'' The High Court, on September 7, had issued notices to the city government and police after taking suo motu cognisance of the media reports that the sting was fake and distorted.

The police had arrested TV channel reporter Prakash Singh on the same day after booking him under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including those relating to cheating and criminal conspiracy.

Singh, a reporter of the Live India channel that aired the sting operation on August 30, was arrested after it reportedly turned out that the girl who appeared in it making allegations against the school teacher was neither a student of the school nor was dragged into prostitution racket by the teacher.

The court had observed that the teacher Uma Khurana appeared to be a victim rather than an accused.

The police submitted its case diary in the court which says that it has not yet given a complete clean chit to the teacher.

UNI