New Delhi : The Supreme Court on Friday blocked potential arrest of journalists from the Editors Guild of India over releasing a fact-finding report on Manipur. No coercive steps shall be taken against the petitioners, ruled the Bench headed by Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud.
Manipur police booked case against four journalists over the fact-finding report they prepared, charging them with inciting religous hate. Incidentally, the editors had compiled the said report at behest of the Army. The document criticised local media as being biased and government’s action as partisan.
The Supreme Court asked the government to file its affidavit in two-weeks time after which, the court said it will decide if the case should be transferred to Delhi. The Manipur police have booked members of Editors Guild fact-finding team including its president Seema Mustafa. The journalists in their plea told court that such massive was the social media slandering against them that they might not return alive if required to go to Manipur.
Various journalist organisations such as Indian Women Press Corps, Press Club of Mumbai, Delhi Union of Journalists and Press Club of Mumbai have raised protest against Manipur police. The journalists have been booked under section 66 of the IT Act, which the Supreme Court had scrapped citing unconstitutionality.
In fact, the Supreme Court had in its directive last year strictly instructed States to not take any legal action under the section. The FIR against guild journalists also includes sections from IPC corresponding to inciting religious hate, spreading false information, hurting communal sentiments etc.
