New Delhi, Oct 21 (IANS) Taking a serious view of reporting by media in criminal cases, the Delhi High Court Wednesday asked the Press Council of India (PCI) to form guidelines for fair coverage of sensitive issues.
The court passed the order on a public interest petition filed by an NGO, Act Now For Harmony and Democracy, seeking action against the police officials for allegedly leaking to the media confessional statements made before them by suspected terrorists in Batla House gun battle case, in which two terrorists and a Delhi Police inspector were killed Sep 19 last year.

A division bench of Chief Justice Ajit Prakash Shah and Justice S. Muralidhar slated the next hearing for Nov 25.

The court also took on record the suggestions made by advocate Prashant Bhushan on behalf of the NGO on how media should be issued contempt and defamation notices if fair and correct reporting is not done.

The guidelines say, “The publication of any allegation made by a police officer regarding an accused in the course of investigation would not be protected by any kind of privilege and would amount to defamation and contempt. This principle would also be applied for formal press releases addressed by police officers as it is for the court to decide whether an individual is innocent or guilty, and not the police.”