The Delhi Court on Friday has said that some media coverage of investigation in the FIR against Disha Ravi who has been arrested for her alleged treason against the country relating to a toolkit supporting farmers protest, indicates "sensationalism and prejudicial reporting", but rejected the option of removal of any news content or tweets by police at this stage.
Directing the Delhi Police and media houses, Justice Prathiba M Singh said that no leaked investigation material is broadcast as it could affect the probe and directed Delhi Police to abide by its stand, on affidavit, that it has not leaked nor intends to leak any probe details to the press. The court stated that police will hold press briefings by the law and agency’s 2010 office memorandum about the media coverage of cases.
To the media houses, the courts instructed that they should ensure that the information received from their sources is authentic and only verified content ought to be published as also that the investigation is not hampered.
The court today was hearing a petition filed by 22-year-old climate activist Disha Ravi seeking to restrain the Delhi police from leaking FIR and probe material against her to the media. The petition also sought to restrain media agencies from publishing the contents or extracts of any alleged private chats, including those on WhatsApp, between her and third parties.
However, the Delhi police earlier had told the Delhi court that it has not leaked any material to the media relating to the investigation mentioned in the FIR against climate activist Disha Ravi.
Disha Ravi is a Bengaluru based activist who has been arrested in connection with creating and editing a toolkit document and sharing it with Greta Thunberg for supporting farmers' protest which contains references indicating deeper conspiracy against India to malign its image.