NEW DELHI: “Presumption of innocence” should not be destroyed at the very threshold of justice process through media trial, a court said here on Friday on a plea moved by former JNU student leader Umar Khalid alleging ‘vicious media campaign’ against him in a north-east Delhi riots case.
The court said it hoped that the media would follow “self-regulation techniques” while reporting on a case pending investigation or trial. “Self-regulation is the best mode of regulation,” Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Dinesh Kumar said.
While the press and the news media were described as the ‘Fourth Estate’ in a democratic society, there existed a risk of prejudice...and one of such risks was that of ‘media trial’, he said. Khalid’s plea has claimed that media reports have quoted from his alleged disclosure statement to show that he has confessed to his involvement in the riots.
Court seeks ED reply on Tahir Hussain’s plea
A Delhi court Friday sought ED on a plea by suspended AAP Councillor Tahir Hussain alleging ‘trial by media’ against him in a money laundering case related to northeast Delhi riots. The plea also sought roll-back of the alleged defamatory content published against him in the media. Additional Sessions Judge issued notice to the ED and put up the matter for further consideration for January 28.