"Not Allowing Press To Function Independently Will Hurt Foundations Of Democracy": Court
NDTV
A sessions court has rejected a Delhi Police appeal against an order for the release of seized electronic devices of five journalists from a news portal.
A sessions court here has rejected an appeal by the Delhi Police challenging an order for the release of seized electronic devices of five editors of news portal The Wire in connection with an FIR, saying serious injury would be caused to the "foundations of democracy" if the press, its fourth pillar, is not allowed to function independently.
The city police had filed a revision petition assailing the September 23 order of the magisterial court asking them to release seized electronic devices to Siddharth Varadarajan, Siddharth Bhatia, Jahnavi Sen, MK Venu and Mithun Kidambi.
In October last year, police had lodged an FIR against the portal and its editors on a complaint by BJP leader Amit Malviya accusing the media outlet of "cheating and forgery" and "tarnishing" his reputation.
