The Madras High Court on Thursday granted anticipatory bail to P. Sathyanarayanan, founder of Puthiya Thalaimurai television channel, in a case booked against the channel management under non-bailable provisions of law following a commotion during a debate show conducted at a private auditorium in Coimbatore city on June 8.
Justice A.D. Jagadish Chandira granted the relief on condition that the petitioner should appear before the investigating officer for three days and as and when required thereafter. In his petition, Mr. Sathyanarayanan said the case booked against the channel management was an intentional abuse of the process of law.
Petitioner’s counsel V. Venkatesan brought it to the notice of the court that the founder was in no way involved with the editorial functions of the news channel. Yet, he had been unnecessarily dragged into the case by making the channel management also an accused apart from its Coimbatore correspondent.
He pointed out that there was a disruption for 20 minutes in the debate show that spanned for over two hours when film director Ameer spoke about the murder of Hindu Munnani leader Sasikumar. The problem was solved on the spot and the show was completed peacefully thereafter.
It was also aired the next day after necessary editing. Nevertheless, acting on the basis of a complaint lodged by the administrator of the venue, the Peelamedu police booked a case against the channel management and its correspondent on the charge of promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion.
Assailing the police action, the petitioner, in his application, said: “The First Information Report has been filed with a malafide intention to intimidate the media house... The respondent (Peelamedu police) is attempting to create fear amongst those who sponsor venues for conduct of such debates and to strangulate the voice of the media.”
