HC restricts media on Kavita Rani case

Allahabad, Jan 9 (UNI) Allahabad High Court today restrained the print and electronic media from releasing any information relating to the Meerut University lecturer Dr Kavita Rani case.

A division bench comprising Justices A K Yog and Prakash Krishna passed the order on a writ petition filed by former Uttar Pradesh irrigation minister Merajuddin.

HC directed the central and UP government to restrain the media from releasing any information related to the case.

The minister said by making information related to Kavita's case public, the media had adversely affected his reputation, apart from misleading the probe.

The court granted four weeks time to the centre and UP government for filing their counter affidavits, while two weeks time was given to the petitioner for filing rejoinder.

Dr Kavita Rani Chaudhury had disappeared two months ago, while working as an ad hoc lecturer at the Chaudhury Charan Singh Meerut University.

In letters found in her hostel room, Dr Chaudhary expressed threat to her life from Ravindra Pradhan. A week later, her family lodged a case on November 4.

She mentioned that Pradhan, known to a UP minister, had forced her to accompany him lest he would kill her family.

Pradhan surrendered before a Noida-based news channel on December 24. He alleged Kavita had intimate relations with some UP ministers, including Merajuddin.

According to him, Kavita used to make their obscene CDs and had even managed to blackmail them to the tune of Rs 35 lakh.

The UP government has already ordered a CBI probe in the case.

UNI