Journalist Not Expected To Dramatise Incident And Create News: High Court

A Lucknow bench made the observation while rejecting the plea of journalist Shamim Ahmad, co-accused of abetting a mentally and financially distressed man to commit suicide, and filming it outside the Uttar Pradesh Assembly complex on October 20 last year.

The Allahabad High Court has rejected the bail plea of a reporter accused of abetting a suicide, saying a journalist is not expected to dramatise sensational incidents and create news by putting a person's life in danger. A Lucknow bench of Justice Vikas Kunvar Srivastav made the observation while rejecting the plea of journalist Shamim Ahmad, co-accused of abetting a mentally and financially distressed man to commit suicide, and filming it outside the Uttar Pradesh Assembly complex on October 20 last year. In an order, the judge said, "A journalist is not expected to dramatise a sensational and horrifying incident and make news by putting his actor in pitiable condition and in danger of death." The journalist keeps an eye on anticipated or sudden events happening in society and brings them to the information of all people through various news media without any tampering. This is his business, the judge observed on June 21.