New Delhi: The CBI on Monday submitted to the
Supreme Court a status report on the probe into the
sensational twin murder of teenaged school student Aarushi
Talwar and her domestic servant Hemraj in neighbouring Noida.
The report submitted in a sealed cover would come up
for scrutiny before a bench of Justices Altamas Kabir and
Cyriac Joseph on December 12 which had asked CBI to furnish it
with the progress report in the case.
CBI, in a separate affidavit, said it agreed certain
restraints should be put on the media from damaging the
reputation of individuals in pending criminal matters but at
the same time said investigating agencies should share vital
information with the press in public interest.
However, it said departmental action in the form
of both civil and criminal prosecution should be taken against
those police officers who leak unauthorised news to the media
that causes damage to the reputation of the persons concerned.
The CBI's affidavit is in response to the apex court's
direction seeking the agency's views on a PIL filed by
advocate Dr Surat Singh who sought suitable guidelines and
restrictions on the media from publishing or broadcasting news
relating to pending criminal matter, which he claimed
tarnished the reputation of various individuals.
Aarushi, daughter of a dentist couple, and her
domestic help Hemraj were found murdered at their Noida house
on May 16, 2008.
According to CBI, it has a well laid down professional
policy of interacting with the media and the same can be
adopted by the police forces of states and union territories.
"It is submitted that CBI has a well laid down policy for
interaction with the media. While there is a need to curb the
police from rushing to the media and also preventing
unauthorized leakage, sharing vital information with the media
in a professional manner is not only necessary but also
justified in public interest," the affidavit by Nilabh
Kishore, SP, CBI supervising the case, said.
The affidavit said information relating to filing of
complaints, details of arrest, chargesheet, forensic reports
etc can be shared with the media as long as it did not violate
the rights of individuals.
The CBI suggested an independent institution in the
form of an association/society/board or authority be set up to
enforce the code of conduct, norms and standards to be
followed by the media.
"The independent authority may evolve detailed norms
and guidelines for dealing with complaints received, action
taken in the given time frame in order to protect the rights
of individual privacy and to live with human dignity as well
as to deal with threat to peace, law and order etc," the
affidavit said.
It also agreed with the suggestion of the petitioner
that every police station must display a notice board
indicating the fundamental rights and privileges of all
accused persons brought to the place in connection with their
cases.
Bureau Report
First Published: Monday, November 16, 2009, 21:47