‘Harassment’ of journos: SC seeks reply of police

NEW DELHI: Supreme Court Thursday sought responses from Centre, Delhi govt and Delhi Police on a PIL by NGO ‘Network of Women in Media’ seeking an independent probe, headed by a retired woman judge, into alleged incidents of sexual harassment of women journalists when they were covering the Oct 10 protests.Senior advocate Indira Jaising also mentioned about a woman journalist who was allegedly molested by a senior police officer, who in turn lodged an FIR under SC-ST Act against her for abusing him on caste lines. Such harassment of woman journalists, who form a class by themselves and must be protected while discharging their professional duties, must stop, she said.Solicitor general Tushar Mehta rebutted the charges and said the video purportedly depicting the police officer molesting the woman journalist is an AI-generated clip and that police would respond to the petition after completing investigation into the incident. But a bench of CJI Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi directed that the journalist would not be arrested till further orders on the basis of the FIR.Jaising opposed and asked how police, which is accused of molesting a woman journalist, would investigate its officer. It must be handed over to an independent inquiry panel headed by a retired woman judge and comprising a retired woman IPS officer and eminent women representatives from civil society and NGOs.She said she is suggesting names for the composition of the panel from which the court can choose.When the bench allowed Jaising to give names of woman journalists who were allegedly sexually harassed during the protests and names for constituting the proposed panel in two separate sealed covers, Mehta said he opposed Jaising suggesting names for the panel. He said the court may take a call after police file their response to the petition.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.