PCI panel 'requests' DGP, Commissioner to depose

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, SEPT. 1. The fact-finding committee of the Press Council of India (PCI), which is inquiring into the attack on journalists here, has ``requested'' the Director-General of Police and the Greater Chennai Police Commissioner to depose before it on Sunday.

On the second day of its sitting here, counsel for the police contended that this was outside the purview of the powers of the committee as per Sections 13 and 14 of the PCI Act. These sections empower the committee to hold inquiry into the conduct of mediapersons only, he said.

Intervening, the committee convener, Mr. Hari Jai Singh, pointed out that the committee had all the powers of a court. ``We have made a request to the DGP to depose. We can also summon him. Do not try to provoke us,'' he said.

Elaborating, the convener said the committee had so far tried not to be ``legalistic'' in its approach as the idea was to place the findings in a larger perspective. ``We know our powers and we know our role,'' he reminded the counsel.

The police raised another objection and said that whatever the committee was looking into, was already being considered by Commissions set up by the Government. Apart from this, investigations were on by both the National Human Rights Commission and the State Human Rights Commission.

Mr. Vijay Darda, MP and member, said the committee was aware of the inquiries and had decided to go ahead with its fact- finding mission despite this.

Of the two Deputy Commissioners who deposed, Mr. Sandeep Rai Rathore, then DC (Traffic) said that he was only in charge of traffic. He had helped the journalists when they requested his intervention.

The other, Mr. Prabhakaran, DC (Crime, Triplicane) denied that he had snatched any cameras or film rolls or video equipment. He had merely guided the presspersons to a safe place.

Earlier, a Tamil magazine, Nakkeeran, made a video presentation of the attack on June 29 and June 30, and on August 12. But the Joint Struggle Committee set up by three media organisations could not finalise its fact-finding report. Later in the day, a consultant of Jaya TV, complained that when journalists from his TV network were attacked there was no one to take up the cause.

Later in the evening, four of the five committee members met the Chief Minister, Ms. Jayalalithaa. They said that they were meeting her in their private capacities.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Southern States
Previous : CMDA regularisation scheme extended
Next     : FM radio takes a big leap