Media must verify facts: SC on false tweet claiming CJI met Lakhimpur victims

Expressing displeasure over a tweet posted by a media organisation which falsely claimed that Chief Justice of India CJI N V Ramana had met the kin of victims of Lakhmipur Kheri violence the Supreme Court Friday said it respects the media and their independence but this is ldquonot at all fairrdquoThe apex court which was hearing the Lakhimpur Kheri violence matter termed the tweet ldquovery unfortunaterdquo and said the media should verify the factsldquoWe are sorry to observe that somebody is exceeding the limit of freedom of speech They should verify the facts These are all false representations which is being donerdquo said a bench comprising the CJI and Justices Surya Kant and Hima KohliThe issue cropped up when an advocate told the bench that on Thursday a media organisation had posted a tweet which said the CJI had met the kin of victims of Lakhimpur Kheri incidentldquoAll of us are at the receiving end of irresponsible tweets I have seen some about myself alsordquo said senior advocate Harish Salve who was appearing for the Uttar Pradesh governmentCJI Ramana said ldquoThey must have some sense because I was sitting in the court How can I go to Lucknow and visit the familyrdquoldquoLeave it there We should not bother about these things In public life we have to receiverdquo the CJI saidJustice Surya Kant said the court expects they should come out with a bona fide and voluntary report to say ldquothis is what we have donerdquoldquoWe respect the media and their independence but this is not the way to cross it This is not at all fairrdquo Justice Kohli saidldquoIt is part and parcel of public life Let it berdquo the CJI saidThe top court said it is not satisfied with the steps taken by the Uttar Pradesh government in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case in which eight persons were killed on October 3Also Read Lakhimpur Kheri violence Not satisfied with steps taken by UP govt says SCThe bench told Salve to communicate to the top most police official that evidence and other relevant materials in the case are not destroyedThe court has posted the matter for hearing on October 20Four farmers were mowed down by an SUV in Lakhimpur Kheri when a group agitating against the Centres three new farm laws was holding a demonstration against the visit of UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on October 3Two BJP workers and a driver were beaten to death allegedly by the angry protesters while a local journalist was also killed in the violenceAn FIR under section 302 of the IPC has been registered against the Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishras son Ashish Mishra and others in the incident in Tikonia police station but no arrest has been made so farFarmer leaders have claimed that Ashish was in one of the cars that allegedly knocked down the protesters but the minister has denied the allegationsSeveral farmer organisations are protesting against the passage of three laws The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce Promotion and Facilitation Act 2020 The Essential Commodities Amendment Act 2020 and Farmers Empowerment and Protection Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act 2020 since last NovemberThe apex court had stayed the implementation of these laws in JanuaryInitially the protests started from Punjab in November last year and later spread to Delhi Haryana and Uttar PradeshThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever