The Information & Broadcasting ministry on 9th October directed all private TV channels to strictly adhere to the programme code under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act and emphasised that they should not air content that’s slanderous, defamatory or based on false innuendos and half-truths. The advisory was issued on the back of a plea moved by actress Rakul Preet Singh in the Delhi high court where she alleged that TV channels ran defamatory programmes against her in connection with a drugs probe related to the death of Sushant Singh Rajput.
While responding to Rakul’s appeal for interim relief, the Delhi high court on September 17 said, “It is hoped that media houses and TV channels would show restraint in their reporting and abide by the provisions of the programme code.” The I & B ministry’s advisory asked channels to comply with the Delhi high court order. The advisory said, “Attention is drawn to the provisions of the programme code as per which no programme should contain anything obscene, defamatory, deliberate, false and suggestive innuendos and half-truths.” It added that no programme should “criticise, malign or slander any individual in person or certain groups, segments of the social, public and moral life of the country”.