SC snubs CBI on ‘media leaks’
The Supreme Court on Monday came down heavily on the CBI for “selective” leak to media about the investigation in the mysterious Aarushi and Hemraj double murder and restrained both print and electronic media from reporting on the basis of such leaks attributed to unidentified sources in the agency.
Reminding the CBI and media organisations about the apex court’s July 22, 2008 interim order restraining media from reporting anything in the case that would “prejudice” the investigation, a bench of Justices Altamas Kabir and A.K. Patnaik said “there is no question of gagging the press, it is a question of gagging irresponsible administration.”
Though stating that an independent media is very important for democracy, the court said but what had been reported based on “unidentified” sources in the CBI, was unfortunate as many of the reports placed on record were in “bad taste” and amounted to “character assassination” of a minor girl. “In various (published) statements attributed to officers of the CBI… there is complete violation of the interim order,” the bench in its order said, while issuing notices to some media organisations asking to show cause why action should not be taken against them. During the hearing, the apex court took CBI to task for “selective leak” on investigation, “Who are those officers in the CBI. They seem to be more interested in media when their job is to investigate. Transparency is something else,” the bench said.
The exasperated bench reminded that the interim order was passed earlier by taking into account the fact that the murdered victim was merely a 14-year-old minor girl. The government has also asked the CBI to act with restraint and avoid selective media leaks. The Union home ministry has issued directions to the CBI, Central police organisations to ensure protection of the legal and privacy rights.
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