Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday observed that media reports concerning Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Abhishek Banerjee and his wife Rujira Banerjee cannot be “gagged.” Even though the court reportedly observed many of such reports to be “outrightly defamatory.”
Abhishek’s wife Rujira had filed a plea to restrain certain media houses from reporting on the couple in the ongoing probe by the Central investigative agency in an alleged recruitment scam. The matter was heard by Justice Sabyasachi Bhattacharyya on Tuesday.
During the hearing, Justice Bhattacharyya observed that such gag orders are not expected to be passed in a healthy democracy.
According to a news agency, the judge noted that a defamation case could be lodged against misleading reports. The matter will be next heard on October 11.
The senior advocate appearing for Rujira, it was learnt, questioned whether the couple’s right to privacy could be curtailed by citing the right to information of the citizens. It was argued that the couple were being portrayed as if they were guilty.
“It is political propaganda. Very clearly political propaganda. Courts of law cannot pass orders on political propaganda,” the judge added, stated a news agency.