'Who Can Block Defamatory Content?': Karnataka High Court Asks Centre In Darshan's Plea Alleging Media Trial Over Renukaswamy Murder Case

The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday (April 8) orally asked the Union Ministries of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) and Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) as to which authority has the power to block allegedly defamatory content about Kannada actor Darshan in connection with the Renukaswamy Murder Trial.The court was hearing a plea filed by the actor alleging that MeitY and MIB have refused to act upon the alleged 'brazen media trial' undertaken by media houses pursuant to the registration of FIR in the murder case. Darshan has alleged that the media has 'maliciously' distorted the facts of the case and built their own narrative of the police investigation through a fully-fledged social media campaign. This has continued despite several injunction orders given by the trial court as well as the High Court, the plea adds. During the hearing today Justice Sachin Shanker Magadum asked advocate MN Kumar appearing for both the Union Ministries as to which authority has the power to block defamatory content. The court orally said:"Who has the power to block such content?...You (Ministries) have the authority to block such content". Kumar meanwhile said, “Section 69A (of the Information Technology Act), it's on a different footing…Your Lordship can pass orders restraining the media houses…We have no control over it”. The court also orally criticised the express violation of previous court orders and orally took note of the reconstruction of court proceedings and dissection of merits in the pending criminal proceedings by the TV Channels.Meanwhile Kumar submitted that there is a three-level interdepartmental framework in place to monitor such content. There is a framework within the television network rules and IT Act for blocking such content, said the counsel. He further added that it will firstly go to the self-regulatory body, then intra departmental authority and then the government.Earlier in the hearing, court had said that it will be passing orders on Darshan's plea. “ … With or without your assistance, I will be pronouncing orders tomorrow”, the court had orally told Kumar initially when he had sought further time so that ASG can appear in the matter to make a few submissions. When the counsel requested for a short adjournment again, the court posted the matter for tomorrow for further hearing. The matter is listed on Thursday. BackgroundIn WP No. 24836/2024, a coordinate bench of the Karnataka High Court had restrained media houses from 'publishing, printing, airing and disseminating confidential information contained in the charge sheet' in relation to Crime No. 0250/2024. The court had also directed the Union of India to pass an order restraining the media agencies and news channels from publishing, broadcasting, printing and disseminating confidential information contained in the chargesheet pending adjudication before the concerned court.Darshan alleges that a plethora of news channels like The Republic TV (Kannada), TV9 (Kannada), Public TV (Kannada), and others have routinely violated the injunction orders passed by the courts on the same issue.He seeks the court's intervention to make the central government act on his January 2026 complaint that lists out all the controversial content against him and his family, including nearly 1000 YouTube and Meta links. He also seeks issuance of show cause notice to all the erring media channels under Section 5 of the Cable Television Networks Act.The Kannada actor accuses the media of transforming the sub‑judice murder trial into a 'macabre spectacle' to boost TRP and ad revenue, causing 'irreparable harm' to his right to a fair trial under Article 21.“The Media Channels, in guise of Fair Journalism, are making attempts to blur the lines between justice and entertainment, potentially compromising the presumption of innocence and fair legal proceedings, thereby conducting a media trial”, the petition adds.The media channels have earned crores of rupees from TRP and views by exploiting the personal and family life of the actor, even though they have violated the ethical code of journalism in the name of 'free speech and expression', adds Darshan. The incidents connected to the case have been converted into a 'macabre spectacle'.The channels and media portals have amassed millions of views from exclusive interviews, dissecting the merits of the case, 'venomous' interviews with witnesses hostile to the actor, divulging 'confidential' chargesheet information, exclusive live coverage of court proceedings and depiction of 'raw moments', and utilisation of AI animations to recreate horrific acts of violence, the plea submits further.The media has even went to the extent of accusing Darshan of an extra marital affair with the co-accused actress Kavya Gowda. Some versions even belittle the actor's fans as 'D-Gang' which is equivalent to 'a criminal syndicate', it adds.These alleged acts of media houses have deprived the actor of his right to equality and the...

'Who Can Block Defamatory Content?': Karnataka High Court Asks Centre In Darshan's Plea Alleging Media Trial Over Renukaswamy Murder Case

Sebin James

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