The News Broadcasting Standards Authority (NBSA) has asked three news channels to air an apology for their report against actor Rakul Preet Singh, linked with late actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death case. The news channels mentioned by NBA are Zee News, Zee24 and Zee Hindustani. Following News channels, Times Now, IndiaTV, India Today, News Nation, Aaj Tak and ABP News have also asked to remove online reports and social media posts on the actor, with misleading hashtags.
In September, Rakul Preet had filed a plea in the Delhi High court seeking action against the news channels for linking her to drug case and being investigated by the Narcotics Control bureau (NCB). Following this the Delhi High Court directed NBSA to pass orders against the reports.
Several Channels claimed that Rhea Chakraboty named Rakul Preet was involved in drugs. But Rhea denied such statement naming Rakul Preet Singh.
“NBSA observed that these Hashtags/Taglines were very offensive and derogatory and gave an impression that the complainant was definitely a part of the ‘drug circle gang and was pedalling and consuming drugs” the order read. “NBSA observed that the broadcaster, while telecasting such Hashtags, Taglines, and Images must understand the impression that these create on the viewers and the fact that these Taglines and Images, which have no connection with the news programmes being telecast, cannot be broadcast randomly.”
The NBSA also came down upon channels for the manner in which they portrayed the actor.
“Images of the complainant shown gulping alcohol, smoking and other images shown in the broadcasts were certainly misleading. Some of the images had no connection with the news being telecast and were taken from the complainant’s movies without any reference to the same,” said the order.
“The images were repeatedly telecast and therefore the violation by the broadcaster was egregious in nature and the response given by it not considered a sufficient explanation or justification for the telecast of the above taglines and images,” it stated.
