Supreme Court refuses to hear Republic TV petition

The Supreme Court refused to admit Republic TV‘s petition seeking a CBI probe into allegations of rigged viewership ratings. It said the channel should instead approach the Bombay High Court “like any other citizen facing investigation”.

“You have already filed petition in high court. Entertaining this petition without high court sends message that we don’t have faith in high courts. Like any other citizens faces predicament of probe under Cr.P.C (Criminal Procedure Code) must go to high court,” court said.

The three-judge bench said the high court has been working throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and the media group should approach it as its office is located at Worli.

Senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing for Republic TV, said he was worried about the ongoing probe.

Mumbai Police had opposed the petition filed by Republic TV, saying that the channel was making attempts to jeopardise the police investigations in the case.

In an advance petition filed in the Supreme Court late last night, the Mumbai Police said that Republic TV is abusing the process of law by conducting programmes in the case and “intimidating the witnesses”.

“Republic TV’s demand to transfer the probe to CBI is misconceived. Republic TV wants to thwart the probe into fudging of TRP ratings. Media trial is against free and fair probe. Arnab Goswami (Republic TV’s editor-in-chief) is holding programmes where this case is debated at length and contacting witnesses and interfering and intimidating the witnesses,” the police said in the affidavit.

Watch in Sign Language