Kerala HC orders police to guard Asianet workplaces

By PTI

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Wednesday directed the police to supply satisfactory safety to workplaces of the distinguished Malayalam information channel Asianet.

The course to the State Police by Justice N Nagaresh got here on the channel’s plea claiming it apprehends “further violence and threats” from pro-Left scholar organisation SFI and CPI(M) youth wing DYFI and looking for safety in opposition to the identical.

In its petition, the channel alleged that on March 3 round 30 SFI activists forcefully trespassed into its Kochi workplace and intimidated the workers there with dire penalties.

It has additionally alleged that work there was interrupted and was stopped for practically an hour by the miscreants who additionally “wrongfully confined” the workers for practically an hour.

“The 8th respondent (DYFI) through public platforms and social media has declared they will launch an all Kerala protest against the petitioner news channel. Barging into a media office is illegal and is a blatant attack on the freedom of press. The fundamental right to seek and disseminate information through an independent press is under attack,” the channel has stated in its petition.

Disposing of the plea, the High Court directed that safety be offered to the Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Kozhikode and Kannur workplaces of the channel.

It additionally ordered that in case of a risk of battle or violence, adequate numbers of police need to be deployed.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, just lately within the state meeting, had stated that SFI activists had organised a protest march to the channel’s workplace in opposition to the making of an allegedly faux video, utilizing a minor woman.

The video content material amounted to spreading the misapprehension that authorities colleges within the state had been within the grip of medicine, the CM had stated.

He had additionally stated that on the channel’s grievance a case was registered and eight individuals had been arrested in reference to the trespass into its Kochi workplace.

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Wednesday directed the police to supply satisfactory safety to workplaces of the distinguished Malayalam information channel Asianet.

The course to the State Police by Justice N Nagaresh got here on the channel’s plea claiming it apprehends “further violence and threats” from pro-Left scholar organisation SFI and CPI(M) youth wing DYFI and looking for safety in opposition to the identical.

In its petition, the channel alleged that on March 3 round 30 SFI activists forcefully trespassed into its Kochi workplace and intimidated the workers there with dire penalties.googletag.cmd.push(operate() googletag.show(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); );

It has additionally alleged that work there was interrupted and was stopped for practically an hour by the miscreants who additionally “wrongfully confined” the workers for practically an hour.

“The 8th respondent (DYFI) through public platforms and social media has declared they will launch an all Kerala protest against the petitioner news channel. Barging into a media office is illegal and is a blatant attack on the freedom of press. The fundamental right to seek and disseminate information through an independent press is under attack,” the channel has stated in its petition.

Disposing of the plea, the High Court directed that safety be offered to the Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Kozhikode and Kannur workplaces of the channel.

It additionally ordered that in case of a risk of battle or violence, adequate numbers of police need to be deployed.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, just lately within the state meeting, had stated that SFI activists had organised a protest march to the channel’s workplace in opposition to the making of an allegedly faux video, utilizing a minor woman.

The video content material amounted to spreading the misapprehension that authorities colleges within the state had been within the grip of medicine, the CM had stated.

He had additionally stated that on the channel’s grievance a case was registered and eight individuals had been arrested in reference to the trespass into its Kochi workplace.