No relief for Asaram on media coverage
22 Oct 2013 1:05 AM GMT
Controversial self-style godman Asaram failed to get relief from the Supreme Court on Monday for restraining the media from covering sexual assault case against him.
Hearing Asaram’s plea, a bench comprising of chief justice P Sathasivam and Justice Ranjan Gogoi said, ‘At present, we cannot entertain your petition’. The bench, however, gave him the liberty to approach again if he feels aggrieved of subsequent media coverage in the case.
‘Suppose, the victim and the family go to the police for lodging the complaint and then informs the press or the police informs the press after registering the case, can we restrain them?' the court said. Asaram's counsel alleged trial by the media in the case and said that some channels run news, related to the case only, at the prime time as Asaram has seven crore followers and this raises their TRPs which ultimately leads to increase in the rate of commercials.
He cited certain captions used by some news channels in their reports and said 'our grievance is against the mutilation of news reports. I am not against the media coverage. I have no difficulty with the correct reporting'. One of the news channels went further and said the medical reports confirmed rape, he said adding it is not the case of even the victim that she was raped.
He, citing various Supreme Court judgements, said Asaram had the legal option to approach the court seeking postponement of media coverage and he is presumed to be innocent till proven guilty.
Hearing Asaram’s plea, a bench comprising of chief justice P Sathasivam and Justice Ranjan Gogoi said, ‘At present, we cannot entertain your petition’. The bench, however, gave him the liberty to approach again if he feels aggrieved of subsequent media coverage in the case.
‘Suppose, the victim and the family go to the police for lodging the complaint and then informs the press or the police informs the press after registering the case, can we restrain them?' the court said. Asaram's counsel alleged trial by the media in the case and said that some channels run news, related to the case only, at the prime time as Asaram has seven crore followers and this raises their TRPs which ultimately leads to increase in the rate of commercials.
He cited certain captions used by some news channels in their reports and said 'our grievance is against the mutilation of news reports. I am not against the media coverage. I have no difficulty with the correct reporting'. One of the news channels went further and said the medical reports confirmed rape, he said adding it is not the case of even the victim that she was raped.
He, citing various Supreme Court judgements, said Asaram had the legal option to approach the court seeking postponement of media coverage and he is presumed to be innocent till proven guilty.
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