Cancel license of journalists engaging in blackmail: HC

lucknow: The Allahabad High Court recently addressed the issue of journalists engaging in anti-social activities, such as blackmailing under the guise of journalism.

This statement came in response to a case involving Puneet Mishra Alias Puneet Kumar Mishra and another individual versus the State of Uttar Pradesh. Justice Shamim Ahmed made this observation while declining to quash criminal proceedings against a journalist and a newspaper distributor. The case involved various charges under the Indian Penal Code and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

The court’s decision stemmed from allegations against a gang in Uttar Pradesh that was reportedly blackmailing individuals by publishing defamatory articles about them in newspapers. In response, the court emphasised the seriousness of such activities and urged the state machinery to take action, including cancelling the licenses of journalists found engaging in such behavior.

“The matter is very serious and the State Machinery should take cognizance of the same and cancel the licence of such journalists, if they are found operating in such type of antisocial activities in the garb of their licence.

There are machinery with the State government which is capable to stop such type of activities which is being operated in case, if the case is found to be true,” the bench said.

In this specific case, the accused claimed innocence, arguing that they were falsely implicated and that the charge sheet was filed without proper investigation.

Their defense rested on the publication of a news item regarding illegal tree cutting, asserting that no offense was committed under the SC/ST Act. However, the state contested this, asserting that a prima facie offense had occurred and that the journalist failed to produce a valid license issued by the Information Department before the High Court. After considering both sides, the court concluded that no interference was warranted as a prima facie cognizable offense had been established. The court highlighted the inability of the accused to provide evidence of their affiliation with the newspaper in question, further strengthening the case

against them. with AGENCy inputs