The Zee News Editor Rajnish Ahuja was granted protection from arrest by the Supreme Court in connection with the first information reports (FIRs) that was registered against him for broadcasting a false news report claiming that the recent killing of a man in Udaipur was condoned by the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
The notice on the plea that was filed by the Editor was issued by Bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and JB Pardiwala who directed the Registry to tag it with the petition filed by anchor Rohit Ranjan.
The order by the bench said that
“There shall be no coercive action against the editor with respect to the FIRs registered or the future ones. Issue notice to State of Rajasthan, State of Chhattisgarh and Union of India.”
Senior Advocate Siddharth Dave appeared for the Editor said told the Court that FIRs were registered against his client in Manipur, Raipur and Sikar in Rajasthan.
The news channel had broadcast a news that alleging Rahul Gandhi saying to forgive the the murder of tailor Kanhaiya Lal Teji in Udaipur, whereas Rahul Gandhi was referring to those who had vandalised his office in Wayanad, Kerala, and not to the Udaipur killers.
The apology was later published by the channel.
The Court had last month directed that no coercive action be taken against Rohit Ranjan, the anchor of the telecast in question, in relation to cases filed against him in multiple jurisdictions.