India's Daughter documentary: Delhi High Court to peruse I&B advisory records
The court was of the opinion the documentary could interfere with the justice system
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday said it will first peruse the records based on which the Centre had issued an advisory barring the media from broadcasting the controversial documentary on the December 16 gangrape case convict's interview and then decide whether to entertain the plea for lifting the ban on the video's telecast.
A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice R S Endlaw asked the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) to place before it the records based on which the advisory was issued and listed the matter for further hearing on April 15.
The court was hearing two PILs filed by law students Vibhor Anand, Arun Menon and Kritika Padode who have sought lifting of the ban on the airing of the documentary.
On March 12, another bench of the court, while refusing to lift the ban, had observed that media trials tend to influence judges by subconsciously creating a pressure.
It had also said that although it is prima facie not opposed to airing of the documentary, it should be released after the Supreme Court decides on the appeals of the convicts in the matter.
The court was also of the view that the documentary could "interfere with the justice system".
The PILs were filed after a trial court had on March 4 banned until further orders the broadcast of the interview of December 16, 2012 gangrape convict Mukesh Singh, allegedly conducted in July 2013 inside Tihar jail here.
The trial court had restrained the media from broadcasting or publishing the interview of Mukesh after Delhi Police moved a plea seeking the restraint.
The Ministry had also issued an advisory to all television channels not to broadcast it.