Sushant Singh Rajput Case: Former Top Cops Seek Restraining Order Against 'Media Trial'

Eight former IPS officers of Maharashtra have jointly moved one public interest litigation (PIL) before the Bombay High Court. Their PIL seeks restraining order against the "media trial" in the Sushant Singh Rajput case. And a second PIL seeks regulation of "malicious campaign against Mumbai Police" by some media outlets while reporting the case.

The court has now requested media channels to show restraint while reporting on this case.

#SushantSinghRajputDeathCase : Bombay HC is considering two PILs seeking regulation of "media trial" and "malicious campaign against @MumbaiPolice" by some media while reporting the case.

One PIL has been filed by 8 former IPS officers.#RheaChakraborty
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— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) September 3, 2020

“A section of TV Channels has been trying to influence the course of investigation being done by Central Agencies through their biased reporting and false propaganda. This has created an air of suspicion in the minds of the general public as to the facts of the case under investigation and also about the Mumbai Police, health services and other support services of the state,” the plea states, as per reports.

The petitions were filed by former police officers and three activists. Their lawyer, advocate Milind Sathe, argued that the media "reportage on the Sushant Singh Rajput death case is such that there is an attempt to influence a neutral investigation. He added that every piece of reporting is hatred and vilification of Mumbai police," Bar and Bench reported.

Some channels even called the Mumbai Police as co-conspirators, Sathe noted.

What You Should Know

• Eight former top IPS officers moved a public interest litigation (PIL) before the Bombay High Court seeking restraining order against the 'media trial' in Sushant Singh Rajput case.
• The court has now said that the media should act responsibly while reporting on the case.
• The irresponsible and maliciously false propaganda is likely to erode public confidence in the institution of Police, the plea says.

These petitioners are former DGPs P S Pasricha, K Subramaniam, D Shivanandan, Sanjeev Dayal, Satish Chandra Mathur, and former Commissioners of Mumbai Police Mahesh N Singh, Dhananjay N Jadhav and former Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) chief K P Raghuvanshi.

'Innocent until proven guilty'

The plea also called out “anchors of some TV channels (that) have been virtually running a vituperative 24×7 campaign against Mumbai Police and its Commissioner, DCP of the zone and other officers by attacking them by name in most unbecoming manner.”

Emphasising that India's criminal justice system adheres to "innocent until proven guilty" the PIL added that this is "grossly violated" as the media is conducting its own trial in Sushant's case. “The irresponsible and maliciously false propaganda is likely to erode public confidence in the institution of Police in particular and the law enforcement apparatus of the state in general. The Mumbai Police is one of the oldest police forces of India and it has always enjoyed a very high reputation for professional competence and public service. Any malicious and irresponsible attempt to run it down is, therefore, not in public interest," the plea explained.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is currently investigating the actor’s death case. Sushant Singh Rajput allegedly died by suicide on 14 June at his Bandra residence.

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Feature Image Credit: Campaign India

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