Trial by media MLE Term Paper 20 -23.pdf

TRIAL BY MEDIA (Media Law & Ethics) by Indira Priya Dharsini M

1. TRIALBYMEDIA
Indira Priya Dharsini M
20PJ016A

2. TRIAL BYMEDIA 1
Declaration
I, Indira Priya Dharsini M, the student of Jyoti Nivas College, Autonomous declare
that this is an individual project on the topic Trial by Media It is a record work of
independent research under the guidance of Sumit Dasgupta for the subject Media Laws
and Ethics.
The Project is in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the V Semester BA PJCE.
The information furnished here is true to the best of my knowledge and belief. This has not been
previously submitted from any award of any Diploma / Degree to any University or Institution.

3. TRIALBYMEDIA 2
Overviewofthetermpapertitle:
TostudyMediaTrialinIndia,itspositiveandnegativeaspects
Theme:
Thispapermainlyfocusesonunderstandingwhatmediatrialis,howmediatrialsaffectjudiciary
andin-depthanalysisofmediatrialsbycoveringdifferentcasestudies.
PrimaryFindings:
Inafewcasesmediatrialshavehadanegativeimpact.
Mediatrialalsocommittedanactofdefamation
Recommendations:
1.Itisrecommendedthateveryonemusthavebasicjournalismknowledgetodifferentiate
betweennewsstoriesandsensationalnews.
2.Sometimesmediatrialsdohaveapositiveeffect.
3.Mediatrialhasanimpacttothesociety.

4. TRIALBYMEDIA 3
INTRODUCTION
Mediaisthefourthpillarindemocracyalongwiththelegislature,executiveandjudiciary.Media
asafourthpillarwascoinedbyThomasCaryle.Theimpactoftelevisionandnewspapers
coverageonacaseinanattempttoholdtheaccusedguiltyevenbeforehistrialandregardlessof
anyverdictinthelawisreferredtoastrialbymedia.Itusuallyoverlookstheideaof‘innocent
untilprovenguilty’andisdrivenbytheprinciple‘guiltyuntilproveninnocent’.
Mediatrialfirstenactmentstartedduringtheyear1799byLordWellesleywhowantedto
promotePressRegulationswhichhadimpactandrestraintsonthenewspaperpublishing.
Inrecentyears,therehavebeenseveralcaseswherethemediahastriedanaccusedpersonand
renderedaverdictbeforethecourtrendersone.TheSupremeCourtreaffirmedthatthejudiciary
andthemediaaredistinctorganizationswithdistinctdomainsofinfluenceandthattheirrolesdo
notcross.Onecannotandshouldnotutilizetheothertocarryouttheirrespectivefunctions.It
wasnotedthatthemediashouldsolelydojournalismandshouldnotserveasaspecialjudicial
agency.Thispaperemphasizeshowtheprejudicialnatureofsomemediacoveragemakesit
illegalforfreedomofspeechandexpressiontoamounttointerferencewiththeadministrationof
justice.
DIFFERENTARTICLESUNDERTRIALBYMEDIA
ContemptofCourtsAct,1917:
Theinaccuracyofthecoverageoftheproceedingsshallbedisregardedonlyifitinvolvesserious
interferencewiththeadministrationofjustice.Section4oftheActgivesprotectiontotheperson
makingthepublicationifitisfairandaccurate.
AsintrialsbyMediapeoplereputationislostandthecourthasmadeasectionlawsayingthat
doingsoisinjusticetothecitizens.
Article19(2)oftheIndianConstitution:
1.Righttointegrity
2.Righttoprivacy

5. TRIALBYMEDIA 4
OBJECTIVESOFTHESTUDY:
1.WhataretherulesandregulationswithregardtoFreedomofPressinIndia
2.ToanalyzetheTrialsbyMediainIndia.
OVERVIEW:
Trialbymediaisaphrasepopularinthelate20thcenturyandearly21stcenturyto
describetheimpactoftelevisionandnewspapercoverageonaperson'sreputationbycreatinga
widespreadperceptionofguiltorinnocencebefore,orafter,averdictinacourtoflaw.
Inthistermpaperwearefocusingondifferentrecentandpopularcasesrelatedtotrials
bythemedia.Wewillbetakingsixcasestudiesthatcoverfewandimportantrecentcasesthat
manyareawareorunawareabout.
Eachcasestudytalksaboutdifferentissueswherewehaveseenhowthemediadeals
withitreallywell.Eachcasestudyhasadeepunderstandingaboutthetopic,howitisrelatedto
mediaandaboutthecasestudytoo.
Ihavecoveredourprimaryfindings,objectivesandrecommendationsofthetopic.Igave
abriefintroductionaboutthetopicsopeopleareawareandknowwhatourtopicisabout.

6. TRIALBYMEDIA 5
CASESTUDIES:
CASE1-Sanjayduttcase
SanjayDuttisaveryfamousactorinthemedia.
ThiscasestudytalksabouthowSanjayDuttwassentencedtojailfor5yearsbytheSupreme
CourtduetohisinvolvementintheMumbaiSerialblastin1993.Duetothisintheairporthe
wasarrestedinJanuary,1993.
TherewereassumptionsthatsaidthattherewerefewotherpeoplewithSanjayDutt.Sanjay
DuttandafewotherpeoplehadafewsuppliesofthreeAK-56riflesintheirhandfortheir
safety.
SanjayDuttkeptonewithhimforsafetypurposesandsavehisfamily
InthiscasestudySanjayDuttsaysthathekeptagunwithhimtosavehisfamily
fromthethreatsofMumbaiblasts.
Afterhewasinjailfor18monthshesecuredbailafterthataftermanydifferentprocedures.
Lateritwasfoundoutthathedidn'tdoanymistakeandhewasn'tanyterroristashehadagun
withhimonlyforhisandhisfamilysafety.
Thenlaterhewasagainsentencedtojailfor6yearsbytheArmsAct.Butlaterhegotbailfrom
theSupremeCourt.ThenlatertheSupremeCourtfirstmadehisimprisonmentfor6yearsbut
theCourtchangeditto5years.ThenonJuly31st,2007hewassenttoPuneYerwadaprison.
Butheescapedfromtheretoowiththehelpofbail.
Toconcludeittalksabthowthecasewashighlightedinmediaaboutafamousactorwhowas
portrayedandaccusedasaterroistbuthewasntaterrorist.TheSupremeCourtlatersaysthat
theyweresorryandhewon'tbeaccusedforanycharges.Butduetothishugecasetheactorhad
averybadinfluenceandbadimageonhimselfinfrontofthepublic.Asduetothiscasehis
reputationhasbeenlost.Asformediacoveragetherewerealotofrumorsandbadcommentson
theactorbydifferentmediafields.

7. TRIALBYMEDIA 6
CASE2-AyodhyaDispute
AyodhyaDisputetalksaboutthecaserelatedtotheMuslim-Hindureligionquarrelregarding
thetempleandmosqueissue.ItisoneofthemostimportantanddiscussedcasesinIndia.This
isthebirthplaceofLordRamainAyodhya.AndhowtheMuslimswanttobuildamosqueon
thebirthplaceofRamainAyodhyabydemolishingtheplace.Orelsetheywouldwanttobuild
amosquejustclosetothetemplewall.ThiscaseisbetweentheHinduandMuslimcommunities
regardingapieceoflandforreligiousbeliefs.
DuetothiscasetherewasaviolentriotthathappenedbetweentheHinduandMuslimpeople.
DuetothisacasewasfiledintheAllahabadHighCourt.Thiscaseisstillgoingonandthe
mediaisstilltakingupinvestigations.
OnSeptember30,2010,theAllahabadHighCourtruledthattheirdisputed2.77-acrelandin
AyodhyashouldbedividedintotwopartsamongtheHindus,Muslims.Thenlaterthe
petitionersmovedtotheSupremeCourt.Thecourtstartedafreshhearingofthecaseduringthe
year2016.Thenlaterin2017,theSCsaidthatthematterwassensitiveandsuggestedforthe
casetobesettledoutofcourtsothatthingsaresolvedinabetterway.However,nosolutionwas
achievedbydifferenttrialsbydifferentopinionsofthepeople.Thenlaterintheyear2018,the
SupremeCourtsetupafive-judgeConstitutionBenchtohearthelanddisputecasebetweenthe
HinduandMuslim.
ThenlateronNovember9th2019,aSupremeCourtBenchledbytheChiefJusticeRanjan
GogoiunanimouslyruledthatthedisputedlandbegiventotheRamJanmabhoomiNyasforthe
constructionofatempleasitwasthebirthplaceofRama.TheMuslimsidewillhavefiveacres
oflandataprominentsiteinornearAyodhyatobuildamosque.InFebruary2020,Prime
MinisterNarendraModiannouncedintheLokSabhathatthegovernmenthadgivenitsapproval
totheproposalfor"ShriRamjanmabhoomiTirthaKshetra"trusttotakecareoftheconstruction
ofagrandRamtempleinAyodhyaandotherrelatedissues.

8. TRIALBYMEDIA 7
CASE3-Sushantsinghrajputcase
BollywoodactorSushantSinghRajputwasfounddeadhangingfromtheceilingfanathishome
inbandra,mumbaion14ofJune2020
Thecauseofhisdeathwasmarkedtohavebeensuicide.Thepostmortemreportlaterofficially
ceasedbysayingthatthereasonofthedeathwasasphyxiaduetohanging.Mumbaipolicebegan
theinvestigationofthecasewhichwashighlysurroundedbyspeculations,gossipandrumors
Thecasealsogotglobalattention.Themediaalsomadeassumptionsoftheactorsufferingfrom
depression.Manychannelspausedthecoverageofthepandemicandwereconstantlycovering
theSSRcase24/7
Themediarushedtoengulfviewersindiversionarynoise.Itwassaidthatamanipulating
girlfriendwholootedmoneyfromherpartnerSushantSinghRajput,wasondrugsandperhaps
assistedoratleastintriguedtohavehimkilled
OfficialagenciessuchastheCentralBureauofInvestigationandtheEnforcementDirectorate
haveprobedChakrabortyforhours.
Newschannelstelecastedinfuriatingheadlineslike“SushantparRheakakalajadu”(Rhea’s
blackmagiconSushant)and“RheakejhootparkyakehtahaiIndia?”(WhatdoesIndiahaveto
sayaboutRhea’slies?)abouther.Atthesametimethelateactor’ssisterShwethaSinghKriti
commentedonwhatshebelievedwasRhea’suseofcoercionand“blackmagic”onRajput.
Onsocialmedia,shehasbeentrolledrelentlesslyandwascalleda"fortunehuntress",a"mafia
moll",“vishkanyaanddayanand"sexbaittotraprichmen".
TelevisionnewschannelsrevealedthechatbetweenRheaandherfriendsin2017,about
marijuanathatlaterdissectedintovariousemoji.Navikasaidthat“Weedisalsocalledgreenand
It’sapurecoincidencethatsheisalsowearinggreenthatnight.Fromsexisttoroot-based
slanders,Rheawasputthroughextensivesocialmediahatecampaignsnourishedandignitedby
thesemediachannels.
Mediafailedtokeepupitsdecencywhiledisseminatingnews.Thecoveragewasequalto
contemptofcourt.Also,inadditiontothisobscene,defamatory,deliberate,falseandsuggestive
implicationandhalf-truthswerereportedandairedonthechannel.

9. TRIALBYMEDIA 8
Case4-StateOfKeralavsPoothalaAboobackeron24August,2006
Thepracticeofthetrialbythemediainrespectofamatterwhichissubjudice.Thefollowing
observationsaremostappropriate:
"Havinggonethroughtherecords,wefindonedisturbingfactorwhichwefeelisnecessaryto
commentuponintheinterestofjustice.ThedeathofChandnitookplaceon28-10-2003andthe
complaintinthisregardwasregisteredandtheinvestigationwasinprogress.
TheapplicationforgrantofanticipatorybailwasdisposedofbytheHighCourtofCalcuttaon
13-2-2004andaspecialleavepetitionwaspendingbeforethisCourt.Eventhenanarticlehas
appearedinamagazinecalled"Saga"titled"DoomedbyDowry"writtenbyoneKakoliPoddar
basedonherinterviewofthefamilyofthedeceased,givingaversionofthetragedyand
extensivelyquotingthefatherofthedeceasedastohisversionofthecase.Thefactsnarrated
thereinareallmaterialsthatmaybeusedintheforthcomingtrialinthiscaseandwehaveno
hesitationthatthesetypeofarticlesappearinginthemediawouldcertainlyinterferewiththe
administrationofjustice.thispracticeandcautionthepublisher,editorandthejournalistwho
wereresponsibleforthesaidarticleagainstindulginginsuchtrialbymediawhentheissueis
subjudice.
ThereprehensibletendencyofpoliceofficialsgoingtothePresswithdetailsofinvestigationof
cases,unfortunatelyfindthatthetendencycontinueswithincreasedvigor.Officersinthehigher
echelonsofthepoliceforceappearingintheprintandelectronicmediagivinginterviewsand
narratingstoriesunraveledthroughinvestigation,arenotinfrequentsightsthesedays.When
superiorpoliceofficersindulgeinfreelypassingonsuchinformationtothepublicitputs
unnecessarypressureonthesubordinateofficerswhoaredefactoinvestigatingthecases.
Truthisveryoftensuppressed,exaggeratedordistortedtoaddflavorandspicetothestories.
Trialbythemediacandomoreharmthangoodtothesocietyatlarge.
Afterthecaseunderinvestigationisintheseizureofthecourtitisnotopentotheinvestigating
agencyorotherbusy-bodiestogivetheirownversionsaboutacrimeandinfluencethemindof
thepublicwithoutrealizingtheworthorotherwiseofwhathasbeencollectedduring
investigationandplacedbeforethecourtconcerned.Lapsesinthisregardwillbeviewedvery
seriouslyandtheerringpoliceofficersandmediapersonswillbeproceededagainst
appropriately.

10. TRIALBYMEDIA 9
CASE5
Ms.PriyaMukharjeevsStateOfKarnatakaon25November,2020
TheCourt,consideringthesimilarsituation,exercisedpowersunderSection438ofCrpc24.The
ApexCourtalsointhejudgmentinthecaseofBarunChandraThakurv.CentralBureauof
InvestigationandOrs.decidedon11.12.2017withregardtoexercisinganypowersunder
Section438ofCr.P.CAnobservationwasalsomadeinacaseofsimilarcircumstancesthisCourt
wouldliketorefertoparagraphNo.9ofthejudgment.
Thisincidenthadreceivedwidecoverageinthemedia,bothelectronicandprint.Infact,itcan
besaidthattherewasatrialbymedia,therefore,whentheprivaterespondentshavedirectly
approachedtheHighCourtforgrantofanticipatory/interimbailunderSection438oftheCode,
thattoowhentheHighCourthasconcurrentjurisdiction,wecannotfindanyfaultwiththe
actionoftheprivaterespondents."

11. TRIALBYMEDIA 10
CASE6
ShilpaShettyhusbandRajKundraPornCase
RajKundraisaBritishIndianbusinessman,whowasrankedasthe198thrichestBritishAsian
bysuccess.Hewasbornon9thSeptember1975(age47yrs)LondonUnitedKingdom
ThejobhedidwashestartedanewbusinessasRKcollections,it'sagrandnewcollectionof
expensiveclothesandmaterialsforbothgenders.
AsperareportinMid-Day,outofthefourarrestedinthecase,fourhavebeenaccusedofraping
anactressduringtheshootofawebseries.A29-year-oldcastingdirectornamedNaresh
RamavatarPal,alongwithSalimSayyed,32,AbdulSayed,24,AmanBarnwal22werearrested
bythepolice,thereportadded."TheaccusedweregivenRs2,000eachtoshootthiswebseries,"
thereportmentioned.
Asperthereport,Palwasthecastingdirectorwhohadforcefullybroughttheactortoa
bungalowinMadhtoshootporn.Theothershadaccompaniedhim.OnThursday,police
receivedatip-offaboutthelocationofPalinVersova,followingwhichhewasarrested.
Followinghisarrest,theotherswerealsonabbedfromVersovaandBorivli.
BusinessmanRajKundramadeheadlineslastyearwhenhewasarrestedbytheMumbaiPolice
inJuly2021inapornographicfilmscase.Namedasakeyaccusedinthecase,injailKundra
spent3monthsandwasgivenabailinSeptember2021.andwasgivenabailinSeptember
2021.Sincehisarrestinthepornographicfilmscaselastyear,RajKundrahasmaintainedalow
profile.HemadehisfirstpublicappearancewithwifeandactressShilpaShettywhenthetwo
wereontheirwaytovisitatempleinHimachalPradesh.
ActorShilpaShettyonMondayissuedastatementintheongoingpornfilmscaseinvolving
husbandRajKundra'sarrestandrequestedpeopletorespecttheirprivacy,especiallythatofher
children.Kundra,45,wasarrestedbythecrimebranchonJuly19,inacase,whichitsaidrelated
toallegedcreationofpornographicfilmsandpublishingthemthroughsomeapps.Shettytookto
Instagramandpostedanote,writingthatshehasfullfaithintheMumbaiPoliceandtheIndian
judiciary."Asafamily,wearetakingrecoursetoallouravailablelegalremedies.But,tillthenI
humblyrequestyou-especiallyasaMother-torespectourprivacyformychildren'ssakeand
requestyoutorefrainfromcommentingonhalf-bakedinformationwithoutverifyingtheveracity
ofthesame,"shewroteinapost.

12. TRIALBYMEDIA 11
Theactorwrotesheisa"proudlaw-abidingIndiancitizen"andahardworkingprofessionalfor
thelast29years.
"PeoplehaveputtheirfaithinmeandI'veneverletanyonedown.So,mostimportantly,I
requestyoutorespectmyfamily'sandmyrighttoprivacyinthesetimes.Wedon'tdeservea
mediatrial.Pleaseletthelawtakeitscourse.SatyamevJayate,"sheadded.Shetty,46,saidthe
pastfewdayshavebeen"challengingoneveryfront"andthefamilyhasbattleda"lotofrumors
andaccusations.""Alotofunwarrantedaspersionsonmecastbythemediaand(notso)well
wishersaswell.Alotoftrolling/questionsposednotonlytomebutalsotomyfamily.Mystand,
Ihavenotcommentedyet.andwillcontinuetorefrainfromdoingsointhiscaseasitis
subjudice,sopleasestopattributingfalsequotesonmybehalf.
"Reiteratingmyphilosophyof,asacelebrity'Nevercomplain,neverexplain.'AllIwillsayis,as
it'sanon-goinginvestigation,IhavefullfaithintheMumbaiPoliceandtheIndianjudiciary,"
sheadded.

13. TRIALBYMEDIA 12
DISCUSSION:
Theobjectiveofthestudywastounderstandhowthetrialbymediaacttriedtounderstandthe
reasonsforhowtherulesandregulationswithregardtoFreedomofPressinIndiaarerelated
andtoanalyzetheTrialsbyMediainIndia.Wealsowantedtocoverthemainrecentcasesthat
arerelatedtothemediaandthemediahastakencontrolofthesecasestudies.Thepaperalso
triedtounderstandifthereareanyloopholesintheactwhichthedefendantcanusefortheir
favor.Afterdoingthistermpaperwecametoafinalunderstandingthatmostcaseswetookare
secured,rightandrelatedtothepresentworldandscenarioandmainlyrelatedtothemedia.
Duetotheimpactoftelevisionandnewspapercoverageonaperson'sreputationthepublichas
therightstospeakoutandtakeactioniftheyarereputedbadly.
Recommendations:
1.Itisrecommendedthateveryonemusthavebasicjournalismknowledgeto
differentiatebetweennewsstoriesandsensationalnews.
2.Sometimesmediatrialsdohaveapositiveeffect.
3.Mediatrialhasanimpacttothesociety.

14. TRIAL BY MEDIA 13
REFERENCES:
A CRITICAL STUDY ONTRIAL BY MEDIA WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO
SUSHANT SINGH RAJPUT CASE
https://blog.ipleaders.in/famous-cases-media-trials-india/#Ayodhya_dispute
https://blog.ipleaders.in/famous-cases-media-trials-india/#Sanjay_Dutt_Case
https://indiankanoon.org/docfragment/207046/?formInput=trial%20by%20media%
20%20case%20study
https://indiankanoon.org/docfragment/1815206/?formInput=trial%20by%20media
%20%20case%20study
https://www.iasexpress.net/trial-by-media-everything-you-need-to-know/