BENGALURU:
The Karnataka High Court has directed the police not to arrest Aaj Tak news channel’s consulting editor Sudhir Chaudhary, who is facing charges of spreading false information about a state government scheme. But said that there is a need for investigation against him.
An FIR has been registered at the Seshadripuram police station against Sudhir Chaudhary for allegedly spreading false information about the state government’s scheme to subsidize the purchase of commercial vehicles to minorities.
The High Court heard the petition filed by Chaudhary questioning the FIR registered against him, and it is necessary to conduct an investigation against the accused. But it said there was no need for a custodial hearing and adjourned the hearing to September 20.
An FIR was registered against Chaudhary at the Seshadripuram police station in Bengaluru on a complaint filed by Shivakumar S, Assistant Administrative Officer of the Karnataka Minorities Development Corporation.
The one-member bench headed by Justice Hemant Chandan Gowda, who heard the petition, said that a preliminary investigation should be conducted during the hearing.
A case has been registered against Chaudhary under IPC section 505 and 153A. Justice Hemant Chandan Gowder said that despite the state government saying that the news channel had given false information in its programme, it had not retracted its statements.
