The News Broadcasting Standards Authority on Thursday, December 10, ordered three news channels to air an apology for their reports on Bollywood actress Rakul Preet Singh in connection with actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death.
News channels including Zee News, Zee24, and Zee Hindustani have been asked to air an apology on December 17.
NBSA slams Zee.In a big win for actor Rakul Preet Singh, News Broadcasting Standards Authority directs Zee News, Zee 24 Tas & Zee Hindustani to air apology on Dec 17 for their vilifying reports linking her to drugs and SSR case.The actor was represented by Adv @AmanHingorani pic.twitter.com/2wbkTiVB0C
— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) December 10, 2020
The Bollywood actress in September had filed a plea in the Delhi High Court against ‘unsubstantiated reports linking her with a drug case being investigated by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).’
Singh along with other actresses including Deepika Padukone, Sara Ali Khan, and Shraddha Kapoor was summoned in the drugs case related to Sushant Singh Rajput’s death.
‘NBSA observed that these Hashtags/Taglines were very offensive and derogatory and gave an impression that the complainant was definitely a part of the ‘drug circle gang’,’ the order read.
‘NBSA observed that the broadcaster while telecasting such Hashtags, Taglines, and Images must understand the impression that these create on the viewers and the fact that these Taglines and Images, which have no connection with the news programmes being telecast, cannot be broadcast randomly.’
The broadcasting authority also directed news channels Times Now, IndiaTV, Aaj Tak, India Today, News Nation, and ABP News to remove online reports and social media posts related to the actress.
On September 29, the Delhi High Court had asked the Centre, the information and broadcasting ministry, the Press Council of India, and the News Broadcasters Association to respond to Singh’s plea.
On September 17, the High Court had ordered media houses to abide by the provisions of the Programme Code, and other guidelines.
In September, the Bombay High Court told the government that it was ‘surprised’ that there was no provision to regulate electronic media.
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