Disturbed by the commercial aspect of news coverage, the Delhi High Court said the media needed to have a type of 'self-imposed restriction.'
Disturbed by the commercial aspect of news coverage, the Delhi High Court on Thursday said the media needed to have a type of "self-imposed restriction" while handling sensitive issues.
"There has to be some sort of self-imposed restriction. It's very disturbing and there is a commercial aspect in every thing," the court said while directing a news magazine to file its response on how it managed to get statements of three suspected terrorists after they were taken into custody by the police for their alleged involvement in Delhi serial blasts.
"We want you (the magazine) to come clean on how you have conducted the interview and how the police allowed you to meet them. You must file an affidavit," a Bench comprising chief justice A P Shah and justice Sanjeev Khanna said.
The court passed the order on a petition filed by an NGO, Act Now For Harmony and Democracy, seeking action against police officials for allegedly leaking confessional statements made before them by the suspected terrorists.
The petitioner also pleaded that the court should frame guidelines for media regarding publication of information obtained by police during investigation.
Meanwhile, News Broadcasters Association, has also approached the court pleading that framing of any guidelines would affect the coverage of sensitive issues by news broadcasters.
"We have already drawn-up a Code of Ethics and Broadcasting Standards and issuance of any direction or guidelines in respect of the matter will invariably affect and impinge upon the coverage of sensitive news by news broadcasters," the counsel appearing for the Association said.
The NGO, alleged in its petition that the police officials had leaked the alleged confessional statements of the suspected terrorists.
"Delhi Police is leaking information claimed to be obtained by them in the course of their interrogation into a case to the media and the manner in which the media publishes such information, apart from being defamatory in nature, also affects the fundamental right of the accused to a fair trial," advocate Prashant Bhushan appearing for the NGO contended.
"A weekly magazine published a purported confession. It seems that the police took the reporter inside the police station where such statements were made which is not justified. The media is relying on the statements which is not even admissible in the court," he said.
Five accused were arrested by the city police for their alleged involvement in the serial blasts in the Capital. Rehman, Nissar and Shakil were arrested by the police from Jamia Nagar on September 20, a day after two alleged militants were gunned down in an encounter. Mohd Saif and Zeeshan were arrested on the day of the encounter.
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