Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court has directed print and electronic media outlets to refrain from publishing the names and mobile phone numbers of judges involved in the ongoing phone tapping case.
The court’s division bench, comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Anil Kumar Jukanti, issued this interim order while hearing a suo motu writ petition on the phone tapping case.
The bench stated that it has observed media reports, including an English daily newspaper, that have named a High Court judge and disclosed his mobile number in their coverage of the case.
The court emphasized that the media should exercise restraint and discretion when reporting on this sensitive matter. It made clear that the names of the judges or their family members, as well as their contact details, should not be mentioned in any media coverage related to the phone tapping case.
The bench clarified that while it is not inclined to pass any orders in this public interest litigation at this stage, as a counter-affidavit has been filed, it trusts that both print and electronic media will handle this issue responsibly.
