The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Crime serials: police issue notices to channels

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 02, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Crime serials: police issue notices to channels

By B.S. Ramesh

BANGALORE, APRIL 1. Stung by criticism that they are silent spectators to "disturbing" events telecast by some Kannada channels, the Bangalore city police have issued show-cause notices to Udaya Television and ETV asking them to explain why action should not be taken against them for continuing to telecast crime-based serials.

Sources in the city police told The Hindu on Friday that the notices were issued to the networks by the Commissioner of Police, S. Mariswamy, seeking an explanation for telecasting "Crime Story" and "Crime Diary."

While "Crime Story" is produced and directed by Balakrishna Kakatkar on Udaya TV, "Crime Diary" is produced and directed by Ravi Belagere for ETV. Both serials are telecast between 10 p.m. and 10.30 p.m. and claim to investigate crimes.

The show-cause notices have been issued under Section 2 (a) of the Cable Television Network Regulation Act. They say that it has come to the notice of the Police Commissioner that Udaya TV and ETV are telecasting the serials though there is an express direction in the Act that no programmes that can cause hurt or injury or violate certain provisions of the Act should be telecast.

Contempt of court

The notices say the telecast of these serials may attract contempt of court. Some episodes not only showed women in poor light but also highlight "disturbing" incidents. Moreover, the makers of the serials "investigate" crimes by recording the views of police officials, the accused, and the victims of crimes. The TV channels have been asked to explain why action should not be taken under Section 19 of the Cable Television Act.

While analysing some cases, "findings" are presented even before the filing of first information reports, and the accused are made to undergo a trial by the media. Some of the accused are "convicted" and some "acquitted" by the serials. These programmes interfere with judicial proceedings, the notices say. The channels have been given a week to respond to the notices.

Sources said the police have decided to issue show-cause notices as the High Court, during a recent hearing, observed that the State and the police can take action against the makers of serials which are in bad taste.

They said if the show-cause notices are challenged in the court, the police can give their point of view and rely on rulings given by the High Court while hearing a public interest litigation petition filed by A.V. Amarnathan, an advocate, seeking a ban on the telecast of the two serials.

Directive to officials

Sources said police officials at the lower rungs have been directed against giving any information or interview to TV channels. Action has been initiated against a few police officials who gave interviews in violation of instructions.

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