The Hindu : National : Plea on Patiala self-immolation dismissed

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Wednesday, Jul 05, 2006

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National

Plea on Patiala self-immolation dismissed

Legal Correspondent

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected a public interest litigation petition seeking a direction to the Union and Punjab Governments to investigate the self-immolation of a hawker in Patiala in January. Many television channels had telecast the incident live.

A Bench, comprising Justices K.G. Balakrishnan and D.K. Jain, dismissed advocate Ashok Mehta's petition, observing that only the Press Council could go into such matters and the Court could not frame any guidelines in this regard.

The petitioner contended that the authorities, including the local police, were mute spectators to the self-immolation of Gopal Krishnan Kashyap.

The victim had sent letters to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and others announcing his intention to commit self-immolation. Despite this no attempt was made to save him, the petitioner said.

He wanted the court to direct the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to frame guidelines for the media in such matters.

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