Rave raids: Maha govt to issue guidelines on media coverage

Replying to allegations raised by Shiv Sena member Dr Neelam Gorhe that media accompany police during such raids, Patil said, "Media has become omnipresent these days and they reach well in time, wherever there is such an incident."

A calling attention motion in this regard was moved by Anil Bhosale of NCP.

Recently, police busted a rave party at a hotel in suburban Juhu in May and rounded up 92 persons, including two IPL players, besides a television actor and a model among other prominent persons, for suspected consumption of drugs.

Gorhe sought to know how come media arrived at the spot if police did not take them along.

Denying that police inform media about such raids in advance and let them join in the operation, Patil said "media has become smart these days."

Meanwhile, deputy chairman Vasant Davkhare (NCP) alleged that media was in habit of "blowing things out of proportion."

Reacting to this, the home minister said the state government would give directives to the media to "desist" from giving undue publicity to "sensational" events.

"Even police should not provide the footage (of such events) which is in their possession," he said.

However, Patil backed the police officers who have busted the rave parties where drugs are used.

"Government would stand by the police officers who are doing a good job," he said, adding the officers conducted raids only after verifying the information at their disposal.