The case against actor Rakul Preet has been running parallel to the case alleging drug charges against actor Rhea Chakraborty. In a recent hearing, when the Delhi High Court was hearing the Rakul Preet petition, the single judge bench hoped aloud that the media houses would show restraint and all the regulations of the Programme Code and other guidelines would be abided by.
"I was shooting in Hyderabad. I suddenly discover on 11th evening that Rhea Chakraborty has named me (before the NCB) as a person who has been doing drugs.", Senior Advocate Aman Hingorani for Rakul Preet said.
Senior Advocate Aman further contended that these alleged statements were retracted by Chakraborty on September 10th, 2020. He also argues against the media houses and TV channels that have been making defamatory and false charges and allegations against Preet. He further stated that his contentions did not blame anyone channel but instead urged for “fair reporting” while questioning the absence of the retracted statements by Chakraborty.
Preet’s petition also urged the Court to pass an order to direct the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to restrict any coverage on her involvement in Rhea Chakraborty’s case.
The petitioners have provided several reasons for the request for censorship. They highlighted the lack of new endorsement contracts and the cancellation of existing contracts. In furtherance, they asp contended that most new coverage by TV channels has chosen to continually play movie clips of Rakul Preet wherein she was consuming sin products like cigarettes and alcohol.
A clip was even played wherein the actor was morphed and photoshopped to prove that she was sitting “with other persons who were allegedly named by Rhea Chakraborty”
“The High Court which refused to stop the broadcast of programs related to Rakul Preet asked the Centre to treat the actress's petition as a representation and take an expeditious decision.”
“The court also asked the authorities to treat her plea as a representation and take a decision on it before the next date of hearing on October 15.”
Chetan Sharma, Additional Solicitor General has also contented that Rakul Preet sough a ‘John Doe Order’, since her petition did not target any particular TV Channel or media house but sought a blanket pre-censorship
The Centre’s response was against the Bollywood actor as well. The Centre held that Rakul Preet has not filed any complaint under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995. Thus, in accordance with the law, the Centre cannot pass an order for censorship.
However, the court agreed that the media needs to practice “some kind of restraint”
