Investigating Agencies Rapped For Going To Press

The Delhi High Court yesterday came down heavily on investigating agencies for going to press in the midst of their probe into various cases.

A two-judge bench, hearing a contempt petitition filed by chairman of Bennett, Coleman and Co. Ashok Jain against director of enforcement K.Bezbaruah for allegedly holding press briefings despite a court order to the contrary, said, what justification can be there for the investigating agencies to go to press.

The work of the investigating agencies lies in the ultimate result. We find a lot of noise being made at the time of investigation and most often the results are not only zero but counter-productive, the bench observed.

If the purpose is true investigation, there is no need to go to press, the bench said.

and added we do not appreciate anybody, who want to get their grievances redressed in court, going to press.

Additional solicitor general K.N. Bhat agreed with the bench but said that if a litigant, having an important newspaper at his command, takes advantage of the court order and tries to project a picture which is not true, the investigating agency should be allowed to issue rebuttals.

Jains counsel said enforcement director has violated the court order several times by briefing the media whereas his client has briefed press only once.

The bench said it did not like the names of judges being published in news reports concerning hearings of cases and said this has led to several letters being written to judges by all and sundry giving suggestions.

Among other things, Jain has sought quashing of the investigation, which arose from alleged seizure of certain secret documents from him on January 4 this year by the directorate.

However, Bhat submitted that the writ petition filed by Jain was not maintainable as the prayer could not be granted by the court in its writ jurisdiction.

However, the bench while posting the matter for further hearing on October 27, observed that the maintainability and merits of the case would be gone into during the course of hearing.