BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court issued notice to the central government and media houses on a petition filed by the mother of actor Ranya Rao, who was arrested in a gold smuggling case, seeking direction to the Centre to lay down guidelines for publication and telecast when the accused is a woman.
Justice M Nagaprasanna issued notice after hearing the petition filed by Rohini H P, wife of K Ramachandra Rao, Director General of Police and Chairman of the Karnataka State Police Housing Corporation. Rao is Ranya’s stepfather.
The petitioner stated that media houses are publishing and telecasting defamatory and unverified allegations against Ranya even after a temporary injunction order was passed by a city civil court concerning the gold smuggling case registered by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence against Ranya.
Rohini also requested the court to issue directions to the central government to formulate guidelines for central investigating agencies to follow while revealing details in ongoing and pending investigations to the media. Citing similar directions issued in the case of actor Darshan, she requested the court to issue directions to the Union government to order media houses to follow the temporary injunction order issued by the civil court.
Meanwhile, DGP Rao filed another petition seeking directions to the central government to communicate to all media houses the interim order passed earlier by the high court restraining the media from publishing or telecasting defamatory content against him in connection with the gold smuggling case involving his stepdaughter.
The court issued notice to 41 media houses and social media platforms while pointing out that the central government had already directed media houses to encourage restraint when the court passed such orders.