Follow the guidelines of media trial judgment scrupulously: Bombay High Court to Marathi news channels

The Bombay High Court on Thursday directed four Marathi news channels to “scrupulously follow the guidelines” issued by the Court in January 2021 in a batch of PILs filed against media trial in the wake of the reportage relating to suicide of Sushant Singh Rajput case (Lahu Chandu Chavan v. State of Maharashtra & Ors.).A Bench of Justices SS Shinde and Manish Pitale passed the directions in a plea filed by one Lahu Chavan objecting to the reportage carried out on his daughter's death by print and electronic media. .Chavan informed the Court that after his daughter's "allegedly accidental death”, the print and electronic media started circulating news that “his daughter was having illicit relations with one Y."He contended that the news is "defamatory and derogatory to the name of the Petitioner and his family, including his daughter.”.Senior Advocate Shirish Gupte, appearing on behalf of Chavan, submitted that around twelve audio clips of the alleged conversations of Chavan's daughter with some unknown persons were circulated by political parties and media.The contents were defamatory to Chavan and his family, he contended. .Chavan sought for an order restraining the print and electronic media from publishing further news and maligning the image of the petitioner by transmitting such news..The counsel representing the Marathi news channels made a statement to the Court that their clients will exercise restraint by not publishing any objectionable contents and will also follow the guidelines issued in the media trial judgment..The Court found substance in the arguments of the petitioner and notice was issued to the other respondents whose counsel were not present in the hearing..The Court also directed the news channels to follow the guidelines issued by it, adding that the respondents were “not to publish or give any unnecessary publicity to the incident of death of the daughter X of the Petitioner and further alleged illicit relationship of daughter X with Y.”.A Bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice GS Kulkarni had given a verdict on media trial in January this year..It had held that trial by media interferes with criminal investigation by Police and issued a slew of directions to the media to be followed while reporting incidents involving suicide and death of persons..The Court had also issued guidelines while reporting on aspects of ongoing criminal investigation to ensure that media reporting does not prejudice the rights of the accused and witnesses. .[Read ad-interim order]