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Kerala: The Kerala High Court on Wednesday directed the State to give police protection to leading Malayalam television channel Asianet News, if the channel requests the same in view of the recent protests against it by activists of Students Federation of India (SFI) [Asianet News v State Police Chief].
Justice N Nagaresh said that an incident relating to alleged fake news telecast by the channel has attained political colour and there is likelihood of further protests and violence against the channel.
“The incident has attained political colours and there are protests against the petitioner’s unit and it is likely that there will be further protests against the petitioner which may turn violent. If that be the case, the respondents are bound to give effective protection to the units of the petitioner at Kochi, Kozhikode, Kannur and Thiruvananthapuram,” the Court said.
Hence, it directed the police to deploy sufficient personnel if the news channel seeks police assistance.
“In the circumstances, the writ petition is disposed of directing the respondents 1 to 5 that if the petitioner informs apprehension of any violence from the protestors and seeks police assistance, the police shall deploy sufficient number of officers to maintain law and order and keep off violence,” the Court ordered.
The Court also said that there cannot be police protection 365 days a year.
“Do you want police there all the time 365 days? You give a complaint whenever there are protests and dharnas,” the single-judge remarked.
The order was passed on a plea moved by Asianet News seeking police protection after some activists of SFI had forcibly entered the channel’s office in Ernakulam and raised slogans in protest.
The trouble that Asianet News has been facing of late started after it aired a program called ‘Narcotics is a dirty business’ on the issue of drug abuse in the State and the alleged victims.
It showed the example of a minor girl who ended up being trapped by the drug mafia.
Soon, several leaders of the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) raised allegations that the program had used images and voice clips from a different program.
Amidst this furore, activists of the SFI entered the channel’s Ernakulam office to stage a protest.
At around the same time, CPI(M) MLA (Member of Legislative Assembly) PV Anwar filed a police complaint regarding the program and subsequently, on Sunday, March 5, the State Police conducted a raid at the channel’s Kozhikode office.
The police action has since been criticised severely by opposition parties as well as journalists across the State.
During the hearing today, counsel for Asianet submitted that the channel has been receiving threatening calls.
“On March 3, the Kochi office was ransacked. Almost all Asianet offices are receiving phone threats also. Kochi, Kozhikode and Trivandrum offices are getting threatened on the phone,” Senior Counsel P Ravindran submitted.
“But don’t all news channels and news papers get calls like that saying it was fake news, etc.? Have you filed complaints regarding any of the telephonic threats?,” asked Justice Nagaresh.
The advocate then highlighted some complaints that Asianet had filed.
“Instead of providing protection, the police raided the Kozhikode office on Sunday, March 5. Please see the FIR,” the counsel submitted.
“If there is an apprehension of violence let them please provide protection,” the counsel insisted.
“Yes, if there is a likelihood of violence, you (respondents) should give protection in advance,” the judge said before passing an order to that effect.
Asianet News is represented by advocates VV Nandagopal Nambiar, Victor George VM, Preeja P Vijayan, Smitha Ezhupunna, and Chitra Johnson.
