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Scribes' unions move HC seeking action against film actors
Two journalist unions have moved the Madras High Court seeking a direction to Tamil Nadu Police to register FIRs against some film actors for allegedly making threatening and provocative speeches against media persons.
Two journalist unions have moved the Madras High Court seeking a direction to Tamil Nadu Police to register FIRs against some film actors for allegedly making threatening and provocative speeches against media persons.
When the petitions by Indian Federation of Working Journalists (IFWJ) and Chennai Union of Journalists (CUJ) came up before Justice R Reghupathy today, the Judge posted them to October 19 after the Additional Public Prosecutor sought time to get instructions from the government.
The unions submitted that the actors, under the banner of South Indian Film Artistes' Association (SIFAA), had last week made the speeches at a protest meet against Tamil daily 'Dinamalar' for carrying a news item on Oct 4 based on police information on the arrest of an actress in a prostitution case.
They said the News Editor of the daily B Lenin was arrested on October 7 following a complaint from SIFAA.
Though the daily published an apology, SIFAA organised the protest meet in which the actors defamed journalists and their family members and used "filthy and abusive language" against them, the petitioners alleged.
When the associations lodged a complaint with the police about the "threatening, abusive and provocative" speeches of the actors, police did not register an FIR, the petitioners said.
On the other hand, police had shown "keen interest" on the complaint filed by SIFAA and arrested the News Editor, they contended.
