New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has directed the media to show restraint and abide by the provisions of the Programme Code and other guidelines for their news coverage. The court said this while hearing a plea filed by actress Rakul Preet Singh, alleging that a media trial is going on against her after Rhea Chakraborty allegedly took her name during an inquiry interview with the CBI.
Justice Navin Chawla, while hearing the case through video conferencing, suggested that the party should approach the government in this regard.
The petition was filed by Singh seeking direction against the alleged media trial.
The petition stated that
“acts of the private television news and current affairs broadcasters constitute a malicious media trial resulting in violation of the petitioner’s fundamental right under Article 14 as well.”
The counsel appearing for Rakul submitted that the media is showing morphed pictures of her to paint her in their narrative and she is also being harassed as the media keeps coming to her house.
The petition also stated that “she (Rakul) does not take drugs at all, and has, to the best of her recollection, met Sara Ali Khan only twice (once at IIFA Awards and once while working out in a gym) and has not met Simone Khambatta at all.
The counsel further added that Rakul was on a shoot when she came to know that Rhea had taken her name and the media had started running a campaign against her. The counsel added that directions may be issued that the media should not be allowed to run this media trial against her rights under Article 21.
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The bench, while issuing notice to the Centre, National Broadcasters Association, and Press Council of India, directed the media houses to show restraint and abide by the program code and other guidelines. The court has further directed the National Broadcasters Association, Prasar Bharti and Press Council to issue directions to the media channels.
-India Legal Bureau