Jabalpur: Madhya Pradesh High Court today
directed the State Government to provide adequate security to
the property of Hindi daily `Patrika` in Indore following an
attack on its newspaper distribution chain there.
Also, Justice Ajit Singh asked the government to file
within a week an action taken report (ATR) along with an
affidavit against the accused in connection the last week`s
attack in the state`s commercial hub.
While passing the interim order, the court issued
notices on Industry Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya, MLA Ramesh
Mendola, Home Secretary, Director General of Police, Inspector
General and Indore Superintendent of Police.
Rajendra Tiwari and Anil Khare, counsels for the
petitioners, Patrika Group, submitted that the newspaper has
been running a campaign against the growing corruption in the
society.
`Patrika` had published the alleged involvement of
respondents, Vijaywargiya and Mendola, in a multi-crore land
scam in Indore. Annoyed over the same, hooligans, supported by
the Minister and the local MLA, attacked Patrika`s hawkers and
vendors and damaged their newspaper distribution network on
May 6, the petitioners` lawyers argued.
They demanded adequate security for the Patrika`s
property in Indore after which the court issued the direction
to the government.
-PTI
