By IANS,
Mumbai: Journalist Jigna Vora, arrested in connection with the murder of senior scribe Jyotirmoy Dey, filed an application in the Mumbai special court Tuesday seeking restriction on media coverage.
“Vora’s lawyer has submitted a prayer stating that media should be restrained from writing about this case or publishing what has been recorded by the respective court of police officials,” Special Public Prosecutor Dilip Shah told IANS.
“She has also sought in-camera proceedings in the case,” Shah added.
Confirming the application, Vora’s lawyer Jayesh Vithlani said a lot of “incorrect reporting” is being done in this case and hence it is necessary to exercise some restraint.
“My client’s application said that mediapersons should correctly attribute the quotes in their reports,” Vithlani said.
“At times, news reports do not name the source of information in the report. I have contended that the journalist writing about the matter should name their sources of information,” he added.
Shah, however, argued that there is no provision under MCOCA seeking restriction on media reports.
“The application will be finally heard on Dec 20, when Vora will be produced in the court as her judicial custody ends that day,” Shah said.
Working as a deputy bureau chief with a Mumbai newspaper, Vora was arrested Nov 25 by the Crime Branch in connection with the June 11 killing of Dey, the editor (Special Investigations) at Mid-Day.
Police said Vora had allegedly provided Dey’s mobile number and his exact location to absconding mafia don Chhota Rajan.
The Mumbai police on Dec 3 filed a charge sheet against 12 accused in the case. Vora, the latest arrest in the six-month-old case, does not figure in the charge sheet. According to officials, her name and role will be mentioned in the supplementary chargesheet to be filed later.
Underworld don Chhota Rajan, who lives abroad in self exile, has also been named in the charge sheet. However, police have mentioned that Rajan and another accused, Nayan Singh, are “absconding”.
Dey was gunned down near his residence in central Mumbai by motorcycle-borne assailants on June 11.