Karnataka High Court: Rs 10 Lakh Fine On The New Indian Express For ‘Irresponsible Reporting’

The Karnataka High Court slapped a substantial penalty of Rs 10 lakh on The New Indian Express for its publication of a story concerning an inquiry against a senior judicial officer. The judge in question was accused of infidelity, but these charges were later dropped by the High Court.

The penalty must be paid to the Karnataka Legal Services Authority within two months, as per the court’s order.

Justice NS Sanjay Gowda, in delivering the order, emphasised that the publication had crossed ethical boundaries. He stated that the articles of charge against the judge should not have been disclosed, and the identities of the individuals involved in the alleged improper relationship should not have been made public, especially since neither party had been given an opportunity to be heard. The court stated that the involved parties’ privacy was invaded by the publication of the story.

The New Indian Express published the report of the inquiring authority without mentioning that it was not accepted by the Administrative Committee or the High Court nearly six months ago. This omission was deemed crucial by the Court, as it significantly altered the narrative presented to the public.

The petitioner, a retired senior judicial officer, faced accusations of illicit relationships with staff members and financial impropriety. An inquiry ensued, resulting in six charges being framed against him, of which only four were proven. However, an Administrative Committee appointed to investigate these allegations refused to accept the inquiry report.

The High Court expressed disappointment in the newspaper’s conduct, stating that it was unbecoming of a responsible media outlet. The matter was presented to the High Court a day after the story was published. The Court criticised the publication for presenting the charges as though they were already established facts, overlooking the subsequent decision not to accept the inquiry report.

The Court also directed an inquiry to determine how the inquiry report was leaked to the newspaper.