Delhi HC notice on Rakul Preet Singh's plea to restrain media from reporting on her in Bollywood drug case

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued notices to the Central government and others on an urgent application filed by Bollywood actor Rakul Preet Singh, whose name surfaced in a drug case related to the death of Sushant Singh Rajput, seeking interim directions to restrain media from reporting anything related to her in the case.

A single-judge bench of Justice Navin Chawla also directed the Centre and others to file a status report asking them to indicate the steps taken on Bollywood actor Rakul Preet Singh`s representation and listed the matter for further hearing on October 15. During the course of the hearing, the court asked the Centre, what it has done in the matter.

Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma, who was representing Centre, told the court that Rakul Preet is not arrayed as an accused in the case yet and she is just being asked to join the investigation. He further called the matter "sensitive" and said: "I empathise with my friend`s client but the reality is such that a balanced view has to be taken."

Currently, the case is being investigated by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).

The court told the Centre that the government has the power under the Cable TV Act and said the government can not simply say that this is a sensitive case.Meanwhile, Prasar Bharati urged the court to delete it from the memo of the party as it has no role to play on Bollywood actor Rakul Preet Singh`s application.

The court has asked Rakul Preet Singh`s advocate Aman Hingorani to make submissions on Prasar Bharati`s role. News Broadcasters Association told the court that some of the channels are not its members. The court asked the NBA to submit these facts in their response.

Advocate Aman Hingorani, appearing for Rakul Preet Singh, told the court that fake news is being broadcast which is violating dignity and privacy of his client. He requested the court to issue an injunction on the broadcast till the investigation is complete. 

He also claimed that media reports have damaged the reputation of the actor.In her petition, Singh told the Delhi High Court that the media has continued their slander campaign by not only re-broadcasting and reporting the earlier falsehoods but attributing statements to her during the investigation which she never made to the NCB.

The petition was filed by advocates Aman Hingorani, Shweta Hingorani, and Himanshu Yadav."Issue an ad-interim direction to the Respondents to ensure that the media (whether electronic, print or digital) does not broadcast any programme or publish, print or circulate any article or write-ups qua the Petitioner on the allegations which are pending before the Narcotics Control Bureau, Mumbai in the criminal investigation in Crime No. MZU/NCB/15/2020 till the time the Narcotics Control Bureau completes the investigation and files an appropriate report/document before the competent court," the petition sought.