Media ordered not to air Amar Singh tapes: SC

New Delhi, Feb 27: The Supreme Court today (Feb 27, 2006) directed the electronic and print media not to air or publish the CD/tapes containing Samajwadi Party (SP) general secretary Amar Singh's conversations with film stars and industrialists.

The order was issued during the hearing of apetition filed by Mr Singh seeking a judicial inquiry into illegal phone tapping.

The general restraint order came from a three judge bench comprising Chief Justice Y K Sabharwal, Justice C K Thakkar and Justice R V Raveendran which also directed, both the electronic and print media, not to publish or display any unauthorised and illegally tapped telephonic conversations till the matter is heard and guidelines laid down by this court.

Copies of the tape titled 'Amar Singh ki Amar Kahani' were leaked to various media organisations last week.

The order came without hearing the media, including TV news channels and newspapers.

Mr Prashant Bhusan speaking for the common man, however opposed the order, saying right to privacy does not include conversations for illegal dealings. He also submitted that most of the conversations contained in the alleged CD being circulated in TV channels relate to shady deals.

The court adjourned the matter till March 20, directing the Centre as well as the Delhi government to file additional affidavits detailing all the illegal tappings being done by service providers with or without the orders of competent authorities.

The court also recorded the statements of Solicitor General G E Vahanvati and Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam saying that they had no objections to general restraint order against the media.

The court also issued notices to other service providers.

The court, however, dropped the Congress Party's name from the list of respondents.

UNI

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