Media opposes in-camera trial Malegaon blast case

While journalists belonging to leading media houses intervened in the NIA's plea seeking an in-camera trial in the Malegaon blast case, Lt. Col. Prasad Purohit and Pragya Thakur, both accused in the case, supported barring media reporting of the proceedings.

Journalists stated through their intervention application filed by advocate Rizwan Merchant and Gayatri Gokhale that citizens have the right to know and seeking on-camera proceedings amounted to gagging the media from disseminating information. It said that ground of 'maintaining communal harmony' is baseless.

Pragya Singh, BJP MP from Bhopal, claimed in her reply to the agency's application, that the accused have been 'subjected to a media-trial and have been over-exposed to media debates of the nature having bearing on the merits of the matter'. She said further that this could influence the opinion of the public as well as that of the witnesses. Her reply also alleged that members of a particular community held dharnas at various parts of the state and across the country pursuant to the news published in respect of the proceedings.

Lt. Col. Prasad Purohit also supported holding the proceedings in-camera. He stated in his reply that there is threat to witnesses from ATS officers, many of whom are posted in Mumbai. He also stated that ATS had filed certain transcripts of a meeting in which provocative speeches and remarks were made and the publication of these may affect communal harmony. "For maintaining l harmony in society, it is necessary to conduct in-camera proceedings," he stated.