The Centre has informed the Delhi High Court on Thursday that it has forwarded grievances of actor Rakul Preet Singh, regarding media reports linking her with the drug case being probed by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), to the News Broadcasters Association (NBA).
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) informed Justice Navin Chawla that on October 9 it issued an advisory to all private satellite TV channels to adhere to the programme code provided under the Cable Television Networks Rules.
Advocate Aman Hingorani, representing the actor, however said that he was not satisfied by the steps taken by the Ministry as instead of taking any action it has merely forwarded the petition filed by Ms. Singh to be treated as a representation to the NBA.
NBA’s counsel said that it heard the actor on October 3 and then again on October 12 and also 10 media channels. The counsel sought three more weeks to file a report with regard to the outcome of the hearings.
Justice Navin Chawla, however, directed NBA to take a decision within two weeks and file a status report regarding the same. It posted the case for further hearing on December 11.
In her application, the 29-year-old actor has alleged the media of “simply running fake news” which are not based on “true, correct and verified facts”. Ms Singh said the media’s slander campaign against her has “irreparably damaged her reputation, dignity and clean image, and flagrantly violated her privacy and right to be left alone”.
She had sought direction to restrain news channels from airing contents which are defamatory or “suggestive innuendos” against her in the Rhea Chakraborty’s narcotic drugs case.
