Chennai: Accusing some electronic media channels of exhibiting “voyeuristic urge” to know what is happening in the ongoing probe in a child rape case, Madras high court on Wednesday directed Tamil Nadu govt to take appropriate action and ensure that all such content was removed from social media platforms of television channels.Justice V Lakshminarayanan, passing interim orders on a plea to restrain media outlets, however, granted liberty to the media to report the statements that are released every week by SIT on the developments in the case. It then adjourned the case for final hearing to Oct 6.On Sept 25, Justice Lakshminarayanan had passed an interim order restraining media outlets, intermediaries and social media platforms from publishing, circulating or disclosing any video which touches upon the child rape case involving granite baron R Veeramani.On Wednesday, the court was informed that several private national news channels have not yet removed the video clips in connection with the child rape case, potentially exposing the victims, despite the order passed by the court directing them to remove them forthwith.Advocate Deepika Murali, representing Tulir Charitable Trust, said the channels that aired the videos must have reported the evidence to police. They need not reveal their source, but they are duty bound to report it to the investigating agency, she said.National news channels, particularly India Today and Republic TV, have not removed the clips from their social media platforms. About 21 handles on X still have the clips posted. Most accounts belong to India Today, she added.Deepika further pointed out that Tamil news channel Polimer TV has posted an interview-like content of a child survivor or a child actor that looks as if it were AI-generated.
