Kerala High Court Dismisses Charges Against Asianet News, Congress Demands Apology from CM Vijayan
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Synopsis
The Kerala High Court has annulled a charge sheet against Asianet News and its journalists concerning allegations related to a POCSO violation. Following the ruling, the Congress party has called for an apology from Chief Minister Vijayan for the treatment of the media organization by the police.
Key Takeaways
- The Kerala High Court quashed a charge sheet against Asianet News.
- The ruling was based on lack of evidence of wrongdoing.
- Asianet was praised for addressing the important issue of drug abuse.
- The Congress party demands an apology from CM Vijayan.
- Political dynamics have shifted following the case.
Kochi, April 11 (NationPress) The Kerala High Court on Friday annulled a charge sheet against Asianet News and six of its journalists concerning a petition that aimed to invoke the POCSO Act due to a program highlighting the expansion of the drug mafia, which featured an incident involving a minor.
Following this ruling, the Congress leadership demanded an apology from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan regarding the treatment of a media organization by the police, acting on his directive.
In 2023, Asianet News and its staff sought the High Court's intervention to dismiss the complaint filed against them.
The court criticized the Kerala Police for their handling of the case, noting that the charge sheet contained no evidence of wrongdoing linked to the broadcast.
Moreover, the court praised Asianet News for covering a topic of significant social concern such as drug abuse.
This matter was raised by the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly in 2023, to which CM Vijayan responded, stating, "None have forgotten how the Congress national government persecuted the media during the Emergency, imprisoning editors and journalists. To date, many journalists have not indicated that the police acted improperly towards Asianet News."
On Friday, Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan criticized the CPI(M) for mobilizing its student and youth organizations to protest at Asianet's offices.
“The least Vijayan could do is apologize, as he believed he could use his influence to suppress a credible media entity. The truth has prevailed today,” remarked Satheesan.
When the news was broadcast by Asianet in 2023, it gained significant attention, leading to the police's hasty raids on the media office. It was then treasury bench legislator P.V. Anvar who accused the channel of violating the POCSO Act.
Today, the political landscape has shifted significantly as Anvar has resigned as MLA and has become a staunch critic of CM Vijayan. Anvar is now aligning with the Congress-led UDF opposition.
