Kerala court grants bail to Asianet News journalists

New Delhi: A Kerala court recently observed that in a democratic country like India, journalists cannot be put in jail alleging they committed criminal offences merely because they reported news, as reported by Bar and Bench on Monday.

Special Judge Priya K made the observation while granting anticipatory bail to four journalists of Asianet News channel in connection with a news program aired by it called “Narcotics is a dirty business”.

“They (Petitioners) are officials of a news channel and they are apprehending that they will be put in jail for broadcasting a news item. In a democratic country like India, which gives liberty to the fourth estate which is the press and media, media personnel cannot be put in jail alleging criminal offenses,” the order said. The judge said that whether or not journalists had committed any offence, can be decided only after a fair trial. The news program in question had led to the registration of an FIR against the four journalists for allegedly creating a misunderstanding that government schools are under the influence of narcotic drugs.