New Delhi: Citing the death of princess Diana following a chase by members of paparazzi, the Delhi high court on Monday asked news channels Republic TV and Times Now to ensure that no content that is defamatory is uploaded on social media platforms or displayed on their channels.
The court has asked the respective media houses, AGR Outlier Media Pvt Ltd and Bennett Coleman and Company Ltd, to respond to Bollywood producers’ plea seeking to restrain them from making or publishing irresponsible, derogatory and defamatory remarks against the film industry and conducting media trials against its members on various issues.
“People are very scared of the fourth estate. Even when the issue of privacy of public figures gets diluted, you can’t drag their personal lives in public domain. Like how Princess Diana succumbed to the media interference,” Justice Rajiv Shakdher said, according to an update blog run by LiveLaw of the hearing.
The lawsuit by four Bollywood industry associations and 34 leading producers, has also sought to restrain them from interfering with the right to privacy of persons associated with the industry.
It has sought direction to Republic TV, its editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami and reporter Pradeep Bhandari, Times Now, its editor-in-chief Rahul Shivshankar and group editor Navika Kumar, and unknown defendants as well as social media platforms to refrain from making or publishing allegedly irresponsible, derogatory and defamatory remarks against Bollywood.
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Senior advocate Rajiv Nayyar, appearing for the plaintiffs, spoke on the range of unfounded accusations that the channels (which he said comprised 70% of English TV media) had made against Bollywood, in their escalation of the claim that the reasons behind actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death were not clear.
“Arnab [Goswami] suggests that Bollywood has links with Pakistan. Reporting which started with Sushant Singh then moved to drug peddling and Bollywood’s links with Pakistan and ISIS,” said Nayar.
The court noted that the channels were referring to certain persons as ‘accused’ even before an FIR had been filed. It also took note of visuals used for such reports, like those of flames. “Of course, you can investigate, but you can’t run a maligning campaign,” Justice Shakdher said, referring ostensibly to the two channels’ coverage of the aftermath of Rajput’s death.
The counsel for the media houses gave assurance to the court that they will follow the Cable TV Act & Rules and the Programme Code. Times Now and its editors were represented by senior advocate Sandeep Sethi.
“I’m not directing for the YouTube videos [featuring content alleged to be defamatory] to be taken down as of now, but you please come back with some serious consideration on how to resolve this matter,” Justice Shakdher said.
When Republic TV’s lawyer told the court that the organisation will take time to respond as its editor is in judicial custody, the judge said that there must be others who can ‘work on the reply’.
The high court listed the suit for further hearing on December 14.