A Bengaluru court on Friday issued a gag order on 12 news outlets in Karnataka, preventing them from reporting on a case in which a Kannada actor accused railway minister DV Sadananda Gowda’s son Karthik Gowda of rape and cheating.
Based on an application filed by Karthik’s lawyer, the court asked the actor not to make statements against Gowda and his family until September 6, when the matter comes up for hearing.
The minister had denied charges against his son on Thursday, saying that the law would show he had done no wrong.
The court’s gag order includes news outlets Suvarna News 24x7, Kasthuri Kannada News, Udaya TV, Janashri Kannada News, Public TV, ETV Kannada, Samaya TV, Times Group (publisher of the Times of India and Vijaya Karnataka), The Printers Mysore Ltd (publisher of Deccan Herald and Prajavani newspapers), Indian Express Group (publisher of Indian Express and Kannada Prabha newspapers), Udayavani Newspaper and B-Tv News.
The media is generally free to report court proceedings except in rape cases and cases involving vulnerable victims, where courts can restrain them from reporting.
GB Raju, the actor’s lawyer, appealed to the police to speed up investigation.
{{/usCountry}}GB Raju, the actor’s lawyer, appealed to the police to speed up investigation.
{{/usCountry}}Supporters of the minister took the fight to social media, accusing the actor of being a political tool. She admitted to being a Congress member on Thursday, though she said Karthik knew about it.