Kerala High Court Lifts Gag Order: Journalist Free to Report on Bishop Death Case [Read Order]

Kerala: The Kerala High Court has lifted a bail condition that restricted a journalist from reporting on the death of a prominent religious leader, emphasizing the importance of press freedom.

Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas, while hearing a petition filed by Sunil Mathew, Managing Editor of the YouTube news channel ‘i2i News’, ruled that the condition imposed by a lower court was unreasonable and amounted to a gag order.

The case revolves around the death of Sri K.P. Yohannan, also known as Moran Mar Athanasius Yohan Metropolitan, the former Supreme Head of Believers Eastern Church. Yohannan reportedly died in a car crash in Texas, USA, on May 8, 2024.

Mathew claimed he had obtained information through investigative journalism suggesting foul play in the Bishop’s death. He filed complaints with the State Police Chief regarding these allegations.

However, another Bishop of the Believers Eastern Church filed a complaint against Mathew, accusing him of airing false news about the death being a planned murder. This led to the registration of an FIR under various sections of the Indian Penal Code.

While granting anticipatory bail to Mathew, the Sessions Court had imposed a condition barring him from airing any news related to Yohannan’s death until his petition before the State Police Chief was disposed of.

Highlighting the importance of press freedom, Justice Thomas observed, “A free press can, of course, be both good and bad, but, most certainly, without freedom, the press will never be anything but bad.”

The court further stated, “Restricting the publishing of any news relating to the death of a person is, in effect, prejudging the issue that such broadcasts of news would amount to an offence. A condition of that nature has all the trappings of a gag order.”

[Read Order]