(UNI) Foreign correspondents accredited in India moved to Delhi High Court seeking permission to cover trial of the December 16 gang rape case going on day-to-day basis in Saket District Court.
Earlier, the Indian journalists had also sought court permission for covering the rape case in which in-camera proceedings are going on.
The foreign lawyers submitted, since the High Court had granted permission to journalists in general and not on the basis of Indian or foreign ones, there should be no discrimination to cover the case now.
Justice VK Jain before whom the case came up for hearing referred the matter to Justice Rajiv Shakdhar who had earlier heard the case and lifted the ban on media imposed by the trial court.
The Foreign Correspondents Press Club members file their petition through counsels Meenakshi Lekhi and Harish Pandey seeking to review its earlier order passed on March 22 by which it had allowed national print and electronic media to cover the on going trial of December 16 gang rape case as people across the world are watching the advancement of this particular case.
The foreign jurnos pleaded that they are accredited with PIB (Press Information Bureau) and are even allowed to cover sensitive beats like parliament and ministries.
Stressing the need for Freedom of Press the petitioners stated they are responsible reporters and will adhere to all norms prescribed for covering such sensitive cases.
Earlier, the reporters were banned to cover the trial in the December 16 gang rape case but later the High Court allowed reporters to cover the case but with great caution and other conditions.
The December 16 gang rape case is the one in which a 23 year old paramedical student was gang raped by four men in a moving bus. The girl was badly wounded and was thrown out of the bus in a naked state.
The girl's male friend was also with her in the bus and he was too beaten up and thrown out of the bus.
The girl was treated in Safdarjung Hospital and later taken to Singapore for treatment where she succumbed to her injuries. The male friend accompanying her however survived and raised alarm after which the police had come to rescue the duo.
This case had created a furore among citizens and people had come to the roads protesting against lapses in law and order situation of the city.
The High court had taken suo moto action and directed the police to take action against erring police officers who besides being on duty on various check points in the capital were not vigilant enough to take note of the bus which moved across the city for 45 minutes in which the ghastly act of rape was committed by four men who were drunk. The matter is likely to come up for hearing on Friday. UNI
