HC moved on media gag in the gang-rape case

New Delhi: The ban on media reporting on the proceedings of a local court in the Delhi gang-rape case reached the High Court on Friday, with some journalists seeking permission for publishing the trial. The Delhi High Court in turn sought the response of the city government and the police on a plea seeking permission for media to report proceedings during the pre-trial and trial phases of the case relating to the gang-rape of a 23-year-old girl, who later succumbed to injuries in a Singapore hospital. Justice Rajiv Shakdher fixed the matter for February 13 to examine how to balance the rights of the media and conducting trial in the rape cases. The petition was filed in the wake of the January 7 order of a magisterial court directing in camera hearing of the case and restraining the media from reporting it. The magistrate`s order was later upheld by the district court on January 9. The plea by the journalists was mentioned by advocate Meenakshi Lekhi before the bench headed by Chief Justice D Murugesan yesterday who had directed that it be filed before a single judge bench of the high court. Lekhi had moved a petition on behalf of some journalists assailing the gag order. "The whole nation wants to know about the proceedings in the case and the media, which undertakes to act responsibly, should not be gagged," she had said. PTI