Courts says that there are certain Suicide Reporting guidelines. "Don't you have semblance for death of the deceased? It is so unfortunate," Bench says.

#SushantSinghRajputDeathCase

"Every time you are saying Investigative journalism, investigative journalism......" - Court tells #RepublicTV

Lacunae in the #SushantSinghRajput case. It spiralled when it was announced that it was a suicide case, Republic TV tells #BombayHighCourt

Victims family also very very keen on justice and it had come to the forefront, Republic TV tells #BombayHighCourt

#SushantSinghRajputDeathCase
#RepublicTV

Bench says that it will re-assemble at 3 PM to hear the case further.

Bench assembles.

Republic TV continues to make submissions.

#SushantSingRajputDeathCase
#SSRCase

@republic @Republic_Bharat

Trivedi for Republic says that the Tweet which the court was referring to earlier was related to the post-mortem report of #SushantSinghRajput and nothing else.

#SushantSingRajputDeathCase
#SSRCase

@republic @Republic_Bharat

Each story which was put out by us was carefully examined by Republic.
Many aspects unearthed by us in various cases. The state cannot decide which story can go and which story cannot go. In the #Palghar case, everything was quiet till Republic brought it to fore, Republic says

Every story and every tweet cannot be decided by the State or police. I was giving the entire background of how the court must see how Republic has worked towards unearthing aspects in many cases, Republic TV Tells Bombay HC

@republic @Republic_Bharat

Transparency of facts prime, Republic says

Transparency at the cost of violating the statutes? Court asks

#SSRCase
#SushantSingRajputDeathCase
#RepublicTV
@republic @Republic_Bharat

In rights of the victim (rhea chakraborty), the right of sushant's family have to be balanced, says Republic TV

#RheaChakraborty
#SSRCase
#SushantSingRajputDeathCase
#RepublicTV
@republic @Republic_Bharat

Even Supreme Court says that Government officials have to thick-skinned, Republic TV says

#RheaChakraborty
#SSRCase
#SushantSingRajputDeathCase
#RepublicTV
@republic @Republic_Bharat

We are not for a moment suggesting that the media's throat should be throttled. We are only on the short point as to whether the Programme Code is violated or not & whether your reporting contravenes any of the laid down norms or not, Bombay HC tells #RepublicTV

What is the maximum penalty imposed?- Court inquires.

NBSA intervenes and says that several fines of 1 lac levied but the public apology which is put out by channels causes more botheration to the channels and this is effective.

If this was effective, we would not be in this situation today, Bombay HC tells NBSA.

You posted story only basis post mortem? If you are so interested in unearthing the truth, you should have looked at the CRPC! Ignorance of law is no excuse. You become the investigators and prosecutors, judges. What is use of us then? Why are we here?
#BombayHC to #RepublicTV

Did not draw any conclusions. Only trying to beseech my lords to understand why this case was not so straightforward and only because of efforts of media it led to investigations, Republic TV Tells #BombayHighCourt

#SushantSingRajputDeathCase
#SSRKillersRoamingFree

My lords has to see what the media has done and whatever we had done has to be seen in context of the case. Today some police officers are saying that their reputation is being tarnished. When defects in investigation persist, public has right to know, #RepublicTV tells Court.

Court asks: Who is to look into the defects of investigation? Is it your role to point out defects?

Can court today say that the media should not come out with the truth? Please see what role the media has been playing, RepublicTV to #BombayHighCourt
@republic @Republic_Bharat

We are only saying you must know your boundaries and within your boundaries, you are allowed to do everything. Do not Cross-Over, #BombayHighCourt tells @republic

#SushantSinghRajput
#SushantSingRajputDeathCase
#RepublicTV

Republic TV concludes arguments.

Court: "Thank you very much...."

Trivedi for Republic thanks the bench for a patient hearing.

@republic
#SushantSinghRajput
#SushantSingRajputDeathCase
#RepublicTV

Advocate Kunal Tandon now appears for @TimesNow.

My endeavour would be to give a background.
3 issues arise in this matter.

#SushantSinghRajput
#SushantSingRajputDeathCase
#TimesNow

Tandon for #timesnow:
I will be going over Safeguards available and the mechanism available.
Powers in case of contempt for pre-publication and in case of defamation.
#SushantSinghRajput
#SushantSingRajputDeathCase

Constitutional safeguards & statutory mechanisms present.
Tandon is taking the bench through the acts and laws which came into effect.
"In 1997, TRAI Act enacted.
A separate authority enacted which was separate."

Tandon now on self-regulation mechanisms that exist for media.
"The self-regulation mechanism's foundation comes from the Advertising Standards' council of India (ASCI)."

#SushantSingRajputDeathCase
#MediaWatch
#BombayHighCourt
#SSRDeathCase

ASCI came to be recognised by the Central Government in the Cable TV Networks Act in Rule 7(9), Tandon for #timesnow tells Bombay HC while building his skeletal arguments.

#SushantSingRajputDeathCase
#MediaWatch
#BombayHighCourt
#SSRDeathCase

The self-regulation as a mechanism has been accepted statutorily under the rules framed under the act and the system has been continuing since 1985.
Similar to NBSA, there is IBF which looks after the non-news channels, Tandon says.
#SushantSingRajputDeathCase
#BombayHighCourt

ASCI has been giving a statutory recognition and the NBSA has also written to the Centre for getting statutory recognition, Tandon adds.

Cable TV Networks Act nothing but Alter Ego of Press Council, Tandon for #timesnow says.

#SushantSingRajputDeathCase
#SSR

In Sahara case, the argument which is noted is that 19(1)(a) curtailed by 19(2). The principle which was enunciated was that there can be a pre-publication injunction if there is an exceptional circumstance and there is clear danger, Times Now Counsel tells #BombayHighCourt

Tandon refers to Sahara India Real Estate Vs. SEBI.

[Link to judgment for perusal: https://indiankanoon.org/doc/158887669/ ]

Similar issues arose In the Delhi Riots cases wherein the issue had arisen that the police had given a note to the Media for reportage and the court had given a direction to take back what was reported to the media, Tandon for #TimesNow says.

The direction that came in the Delhi HC that the police should not go to the press and talk about pending cases, the court thought it best that the police not report anything to the media as a neutralising device for the pending investigation, Tandon for @TimesNow in #BombayHC

For purposes of defamation it is important to see is that the defence is certain to fail.
Public figures have to be a bit more thick-skinned than a private person.
- Tandon for Timesnow tells Court

In @ShashiTharoor's case, Justice Manhmohan of Delhi HC had said that curtailing media would lead to violation of 19(1)(a).
- Tandon for TimesNow tells BombayHC

Ultimately there has to be a Lakshman Rekha with certain issues to it - there may be popular views, there may be unpopular views.
- Tandon for #TimesNow tells #BombayHighCourt

Reminded of an example - A priest goes to a village for a seminar and afterwards asks organisers what all there in village who tell him about various amenities including nightclubs. He says "Oh you have nighclubs?"
Next day, the media says "Do you have a Night Club"?
- Tandon

A news report has to be read in whole and a liberal man will look at it wholly, Tandon for @TimesNow concludes his arguments

Advocate for ABP News:
4 complaints, 2 of which were withdrawn after explanation.
In 2 of the complaints - warnings were issued.

#SushantSingRajputDeathCase
#SushantSinghRajput
#SSR

NBSA says that these complaints against ABP news were wrt #SushantSingRajputDeathCase wherein once a relative gave an interview at their own will and 2ndly when ABP news showed @itsSSR's dead body with a white sheet in long shot.
@ABPNews

Advocate Rajeev Pandey appears for Indian Today and Aaj Tak.
"There is nothing alleged against India Today & Aaj Tak in the present petition," he says.
@IndiaToday @aajtak

"We have never given any story which is against the investigating agency. There are cases against us but we have been absolved of all," says Pandey for @aajtak & @IndiaToday

Pandey concludes.

Counsel for @ZeeNews, @indiatvnews & Press Council of India are to make submissions.

Counsel for @ZeeNews says that he adopts Mr. Datar's arguments.
"As far as the allegations are concerned, they are not of media trial," says Advocate Ankit Lohia

#zeenews
#SushantSinghRajputCase
#SSRCase
#BombayHighCourt

In two petitions in which I appear, in both cases, both petitions recognise that there is existing framework and that there are checks and balances in place, Lohia for @ZeeNews says.

#zeenews
#SushantSinghRajputCase
#SSRCase
#BombayHighCourt

The Lakshman Rekha is there. No one is saying that nothing should happen if this Lakshman Rekha is breached. This Lakshman Rekha is governed by legislations already in place and no more legislations needed, says Lohia.
#zeenews
#SushantSinghRajputCase
#SSRCase
#BombayHighCourt

3 Checkpoints already in place:
1) Self Regulatory Body
2) Government body
3) Courts
- Tandon for #zeenews tells #BombayHighCourt

* Correction: Lohia for zee news, not Tandon

If we are brought in complete control, possibility of control by a pillar which we may ourselves be criticising, Tandon for #zeenews
"To say that the Lakshman Rekha is breached does not mean the Ram Setu is broken," Lohia tells #BombayHC

Court puts a question to #zeenews Counsel: These are all aspects after the damage has been done. But how will the person get justice after damage has been done?
How does a person in a village or remote place get justice?

No doubt this is hard for us lawyers, let alone them, Lohia responds.

The bench has risen.

Hearing to continue on Friday at 12 PM