Skip to main content

Mumbai special court rejects NIA plea for media ban on Malegaon blast case hearing

Pragya Thakur (right)
By A Representative
The Special NIA Court has allowed the intervention application filed by 11 journalists in their individual capacity against the National Investigating Agency's (NIA) plea seeking to make the rest of the 2008 Malegaon blast case "in camera", which effectively means no media reporting. BJP MP Pragya Thakur has been one of the Malegaon blast accused.
This is the first time the media's right to report has been upheld on an application filed under section 17 of the NIA Act and section 44 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, which are special laws and specifically provide for in-camera proceedings at the court's discretion.
The 11 journalists are – Sharmeen Hakim (Mumbai Mirror), Sunilkumar Singh (NDTV), Vidya Kumar (India Today), Sadaf Modak (Indian Express), Neeta Kolhatkar (Free Press Journal, Sunil Baghel (Mumbai Mirror), Santia Gora (Mirror Now), Rebecca Samervel (Times of India), Ranjeet Singh (ANI), David Delima (Mumbai Mirror) and Narsi Benwal (Free Press Journal).
The journalists were represented by advocates Rizwan Merchant, Gayatri Gokhale and Akshay Bafna pro bono (free).
NIA wanted the proceedings to be held "in-camera" citing issues like "protection of witnesses" and "communal harmony," among others. Eleven journalists from different organisations came together and filed an intervention application within 5 days – before the hearing on NIA's application could start.
The journalists' application argued that there was no record before the court of witnesses being under any threat and if at all there was any threat to the witnesses, other steps can be taken to deal with that situation and that open trial was the norm.
A Mumbai Press Club communiqué, signed by secretary Lata Mishra, said, “We had agreed to protect the identities of the witnesses, if the court deemed it fit. The court upheld our contentions and rejected the NIA's application.”

Comments

  1. AnonymousOctober 22, 2019

    This is a victory for the freedom of the press.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

NOTE: Hateful, abusive comments won't be published. -- Editor

TRENDING

Gharapuri's discoveries: India finds a maritime past, ASI an app

By Gajanan Khergamker  The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has once again demonstrated an extraordinary talent for mistaking administrative housekeeping for institutional achievement. At the very moment excavations at Gharapuri are yielding evidence that could fundamentally reshape our understanding of India's maritime past, the institution has chosen to celebrate the rollout of QR-enabled audio guides and GPS-supported navigation at its monuments. The contrast could not be starker. 
Post a Comment
»

Bihar’s land at ₹1 per acre for Adani sparks outrage, NAPM calls it crony capitalism

By A Representative   The National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) has strongly condemned the Bihar government’s decision to lease 1,050 acres of land in Pirpainti, Bhagalpur district, to Adani Power for a 2,400 MW coal-based thermal power project. 
Post a Comment
»

What's behind Columbia's president-elect speaking out against continuing the country’s peace agenda

By Laura Violeta Devia López  There are just over three weeks left before Abelardo De La Espriella takes office as Colombia’s new president, despite the numerous allegations that cast a shadow over his election and, as usual, discredit the Colombian electoral system. The announcements already being made by Abelardo and his designated cabinet mark a significant change of course, not only for the Colombian people but also for the country’s place in the world.
Post a Comment
»