The High Court of Karnataka on Tuesday directed the State government to issue comprehensive directions to the police against giving information on probe in criminal cases to the media before completion of the investigation.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Suraj Govindaraj passed the order on a PIL petition filed H. Naghabhushan Rao, retired officer of Grameena Bank.
The petitioner, while citing several instances of “leak” of investigation details in criminal cases to media, particularly to television channels, contended that it was necessary to ensure absolute secrecy about investigation to maintain its sanctity and adjudication of justice.
Though the government produced several circulars issued since 2013 to the police against providing details of investigation to the media during the course of the probe, the Bench said that a comprehensive directions has to be issued to the police against divulging nature of investigation and materials collected, etc before completion of the probe.
Besides, the Bench said the direction should also have a provision to initiate disciplinary proceeding against erring police officers.
