P&H High Court Dismisses PIL Against Aaj Tak Over Lord Valmiki Video
The Punjab & Haryana High Court has dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed against Aaj Tak and journalist Anjana Om Kashyap over a video that allegedly claimed Lord Maharishi Valmiki was once a dacoit.
The plea argued that a televised statement suggested that Maharishi Valmiki, earlier known as Ratnakar, looted travellers, which hurt religious sentiments and defamed a revered figure. The petitioner sought removal of the video and a public apology from the news channel and the journalist.
During the hearing, the petitioner contended that there is no historical proof to support the claim made in the broadcast. The Division Bench, led by Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry, questioned whether the issue related to history or mythology. The Court observed that mythology does not require historical proof and asked how the petitioner could conclusively claim the broadcast was false while also stating that it was not part of recorded history.
Finding no merit in the arguments, the High Court dismissed the PIL as withdrawn.
The petition had also alleged that the broadcast violated various legal provisions, including Sections 295A and 153A of the Indian Penal Code, the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994, IT Rules 2021, NBDSA Code of Ethics, and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. It further claimed that despite complaints to authorities such as the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and NBDSA, no action was taken.
