NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Monday rejected a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking removal of a news article reporting closure of Research and Analysis Wing (RAW)’s North America operations, saying “Freedom of press is placed at a very high pedestal.”
The PIL alleged that the media report compromised the identity of officials posted in India’s diplomatic missions in the US, Canada and the UK working for the country’s external intelligence agency.
It was stated by the high court that the judiciary should not transgress into an area involving national safety and security. The government of India has the power and authority to block any article that compromises national safety and security, it added.
The petition sought a direction to the ministries of Information and Broadcasting and External Affairs and the Press Council of India to frame guidelines to ensure that no media outlet publishes any source based information as to whether a government officer or diplomat posted abroad is working for the Indian intelligence agency.
It also sought a direction to the Centre to block the URLs of the November 30, 2023 article. A bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Manmohan said the claims made by petitioner Raghav Awasthi, an advocate, are based on surmises and conjectures which are based on hearsay.
“The Government of India has full power and authority to block any article which compromises the national safety and security and requires no advice either of the petitioner or of this court. The court should not easily transgress into this area,” the bench also comprising Justice Manmeet PS Arora said.
“It is an innocuous piece. Leave it at that. It does not identify anyone. I think you (petitioner) have identified more people than that. Your source is correct or not, we have no idea,” the bench said, adding if the officers are in danger, the government will take steps. The plea said a report was published in the online news magazine on November 30, 2023 which, as pet the petitioner, was problematic as it insinuated that particular officers working for Indian diplomatic establishments in the UK, US and Canada were working for RAW.