Petition in HC to restrain media from publishing allegations against CJI

A voluntary organisation has filed a plea in the Delhi High Court asking it to restrain the media from publishing the allegations of sexual harassment against Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi by a former Supreme Court employee.

The petition, which is likely to come up for hearing on April 29, sought immediate restriction on the media from further telecasting or publishing the allegations till conclusion of the three-judge panel's enquiry.

The plea, filed by NGO Anti Corruption Council of India, said publication of allegations against the CJI directly hits the Indian judicial system.

Besides electronic and print media, the plea sought directions for social media platforms.

The petition has arrayed as parties the Ministries of Law and Justice and Information and Broadcasting, the Delhi government, the Press Council of India and the Delhi Police Commissioner.

Directions have been sought for WhatsApp, Google, YouTube and LinkedIn Corporation and news website Scroll.in.

The allegations levelled by the former Supreme Court staff are being enquired into by a three-judge panel of the apex court which held its first proceeding on Friday.

The plea alleged it suspects involvement of "anti-national elements" in this act and if publication of these allegations is not restricted, "people will lose faith in the Indian judicial system", and the "vast damage" caused to the nation and its people would be "irreparable".