MP HC restrains news channels from showing interviews of criminals

Gwalior, Aug 31 (UNI) The Madhya Pradesh High Court's Gwalior bench has directed not to telecast interviews of dacoits and criminals on television news channels.

Hearing a petition stating that news channels not only eulogised dacoits and criminals but also portrayed them as 'heroes', a division bench comprising Justice Abhay Gohil and Justice P K Jaiswal gave the direction on August 28.

Union Home Secretary, Union Information and Broadcasting Secretary, Madhya Pradesh Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary (Jail) besides news channels including Star News, Aaj Tak, NDTV, Sahara Samay, India TV and Zee News were made respondents in the case.

The court had issued a notice on December 5, 2005, directing all the respondents to reply within a week. Both the state government and the Centre had informed the court that they were considering bringing a law in this regard, while Star News sought more time.

However, no other news channel responded.

Expressing dissent, the Bench said it appeared that no news channel were interested in cooperating with court in matter of such a vital importance.

In this view, the court directed that no news channel would telecast interviews or content that eulogised dacoits or criminals.

Besides, it asked media to exercise restraint in telecasting a report concerning a criminal if a case was pending against him.

The next hearing in the case has been fixed on September 11.

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