Delhi HC issues notice to 5 TV channels over reportage of Delhi Excise Policy case

New Delhi, Nov 22: The Delhi High Court on Monday issued notices to five television news channels for allegedly "misreporting" the Delhi Excise Policy case and directed the News Broadcasting and Digital Standards Authority (NBDSA) to check whether these channels complied with the requisite guidelines or not.

Justice Yashwant Varma was dealing with a plea filed by former AAP communications in-charge and businessman Vijay Nair, who has alleged that sensitive information about the case was leaked by the ED and the CBI to the media.

During the hearing, the court expressed dissatisfaction over the broadcast of the case, in which several Aam Aadmi Party leaders were accused, by news channels, including India Today and Republic TV.

Notices were also issued to Zee News and Times Now over the alleged misreporting.

Earlier, the court had asked the probe agencies to place on record all the case-related press communications issued by them.

In response to the court order, ED submitted that it has not issued any press release while CBI said it has issued three communications in relation to the probe.

The court also said that "this is not a case where at least at this stage it can be said that the information was collectively leaked or provided by the investigating agencies." The next hearing on the matter would be in February.