The Supreme Court issued notice to the Centre and the Haryana government on Monday on a petition by a group of journalists seeking a judicial investigation into the alleged assault on presspersons during the recent police operation to arrest the self-styled godman Rampal at Barwala in Hisar district.
A Bench headed by Justice T.S. Thakur sought their replies on the petition, which also sought punishment for “erring police officers” for resorting to a “lathi charge without caution and care.”
The petition alleged that there was an increasing tendency among government authorities to “muzzle the press,” and sought “appropriate compensation” for the affected journalists and framing of guidelines to ensure the “free and fair functioning of the media.”
The petition said the journalists were seeking justice for “violation of their fundamental right guaranteed under Article 19 (1)(a) of the Constitution and freedom of the press, which means absence of interference by the State with the media, except in so far as it is authorised by the constitution and by enactments which are constitutionally valid.”
