The public sentiment is highly critical and divided over the Supreme Court's decision to grant bail to journalist Kommineni Srinivasa Rao. Concerns around judicial integrity, the influence of politics on legal proceedings, and the erosion of press freedoms dominate the discourse. While some celebrate the ruling as a victory for journalistic rights, many express skepticism about the fairness of the judiciary and the treatment of journalists by the government.

Supreme Court of India

Government of India

Journalist Kommineni Srinivasa Rao

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Us judge ka kya hua jisake ghar me Paisa Mila tha??

Unable-Ad931

Suo moto contempt is the most egregious form of anti-democratic power tripping possible by the judiciary. For people who have totally abrogated their appointment power, who have a cozy relationship with the executive for post-retirement jobs, and whose kids are statistically guaranteed to inherit their jobs, these justices sure are thin-skinned and scared of public criticism. Maybe because they know that they enjoy their power by undemocratic means - at least they have that much self-awareness.

ididacannonball

&gt;The video’s caption referred to Justice Trivedi as a "Godi judge"—a term commonly used to describe individuals or institutions perceived to act in alignment with the Central government's interests.

&gt;The Supreme Court in its order today said that while the Constitution of India guarantees free speech, the right cannot be misused to make defamatory allegations against judges.


https://www.barandbench.com/news/supreme-court-orders-journalist-ajay-shukla-to-take-down-video-containing-allegations-against-judge

Tbh, godi judges do exist. People close to retirement choose to make decisions favouring the government for an easy lobby into the political system. 

So did many judges who served in the congress term as well. For example, during Indira the court said people had no rights in the moment of national emergencies, banning books and essays which criticized gandhi and Nehru and what not. 

All buisness as usual.

Ligma_Sugmi

i hope AGI declines to take up the case, and tell them to ask Kapil sibal

easternhermit

They used the same to shield the judge who asked atul to commit suicide.

thedarkracer

In recent years, India has been coming down heavily on journalists and activists critical of the government. India now ranks 150/180 in the Press Freedom Index 2022.

Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)'s website has [a page dedicated to Siddique Kappan](https://cpj.org/data/people/siddique-kappan/).

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) also [published a story](https://rsf.org/en/sedition-charge-against-indian-reporter-symptomatic-difficulties-facing-journalists-uttar-pradesh) after he was arrested.

Here's the [Wikipedia article on the 2020 Hathras gang rape and murder](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_Hathras_gang_rape_and_murder) that he was trying to cover. A 19-year-old Dalit woman was gang-raped by four upper caste men. She had been very badly beaten up and was taken to the hospital. The police tried to protect the rapists, tried everything to prevent her from filing a rape case, tried to keep the media away, and when she died a few days later from her injuries, the police forcibly cremated her body without the consent of her family.

cncrndctzn2

Edit: I'm deleting my account because of reddit's policies concerning third party apps. I don't want them to be able to use older comments. A user-generated community that treats its users badly does not deserve your time or attention.

[deleted]

India has been in a slippery slope of religious fascism of late.

reddteddledd

Indian nationalists and fascists incoming to defend rapists in 3..2..1..

jtj5002

When the body was burnt without the family's consent hindu nationalists circulated fake reports from the hospital showing she hadn't been raped. There was considerable gap between the incident and the examination in Delhi, because the convoy kept getting attacked by the ruling party and upper caste supporters.

Recently, a Muslim woman, Bilkis Bano, who was gang-raped by Hindu men had to see her rapists who were convicted, get released and get felicitated in ceremonies by Hindu nationalists across the country. 

Because of the disproportionate number of upper caste men with internet access relative to women from marginalized groups, I expect to see this post get brigaded sooner rather than later.

behind_the_ear

Get ready for BJP neets to swarm with the official gov't narrative

usernetpage

India is not a real democracy, no real democracy would be pro rape.  


Also if you wanna get mad at Modi go read about the Gujarat riots when he was governor. Dude's in the same party that killed Ghandi.

Id_rather_be_high42

I really, really hope he doesn't report on his captivity (until he leaves India).

Rape capital of the world silencing journalist that reported on rape, seems legit.

xkeepitquietx

govindtak28

&gt; He is accused of being in a WhatsApp group (that planned anti-CAA protests). When his lawyer told the (lower) court that he did not participate in any discussion in the group, the prosecutor countered that he was a silent spectator.

Recently, in a case against 12 hindutva militants who planned riots in a Kattar Hindu Ekta WhatsApp group, a Delhi court held that WhatsApp chat cannot be held as substantive evidence.

Yet, the same rule is not applicable in cases against people who called for peace.

[WhatsApp chats can’t be substantive evidence: Court in 5 murder cases linked to 2020 Delhi riots | The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/whatsapp-chats-cant-be-substantive-evidence-court-in-5-murder-cases-linked-to-2020-delhi-riots-10030781/)

rishianand

if the government is afraid of one man how will they defend us from China and Pak?

Embarrassed_Look9200

What’s happening to Umar is gross injustice, it boils my blood every time i think about it. 

He is the perfect example of killing free speech in India, it’s been 4 years and not a single charge has been substantiated against him.

B7TMANN

&gt;His father, S.Q.R. Ilyas, told The Telegraph: “So far, five bail hearings have happened in Delhi High Court. For bail, we started in the lower court, then the high court, then the Supreme Court, where we had 14 adjournments in nine months. We then went back to the lower court, and are now again in the high court.”

Like father, like son. Twisting the facts. 

They are portraying as if adjournments were someone else's doing. They took so many adjournments, even former Chief Justice has confirmed this in an interview.

vedicseeker

britolaf

“Yet even after almost five years, charges have not been framed in court. This trial may continue for 10-15 years. Former Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud kept saying that bail is the rule and granted bail to several people, but Umar was not on the list. We can’t understand the judiciary’s justification for denying bail… The judiciary must realise this phenomenon of black laws being used to keep innocent people behind bars for as long as possible".

ProfessionalOld9481

There's no trial because govt simply has no proof against him.
The govt has slapped UAPA on him simply to create an example.

I don't agree with a lot of views of Umar khalid but putting him in jail like this is idiotic, countries like saudi arabia use such measures. Our courts are spineless and our media toothless.

UnicornWithTits

Every institution has been captured. There is no recourse from this chutiyap

Professional_Key8020

hemsagar

So long as Umar Khalid languishes in jail without trial, we are ashamed to call our country a democracy.

prachuprachu

Law system, or just most systems are a joke (more so a weapon, for few) in this country.

shru-san

Our judiciary is a disease rather than relief.

mha3if

when bjp loses power he will be released. but by that time he will have served an imprisonment equivalent to an actual sentencing for a grievous crime…welcome to the indian justice system.

Nirbhik

This is very misleading. Ex-CJI Dr. Chandrachud already confirmed in an interview that for more than 7 occasions, Umar Khalid (through his lawyer) took time, even when the Court wanted to hear his bail application. 7 times!? That is beyond weird. 

We often blame the judiciary but if the party themselves do not want bail, the Court is not going to suo-moto grant bail.

nexusofthoughts



Umar khalid is charged with UAPA. Hence no bail. 
There is a difference between protest and provacation. He is where he should be.

mukulsingh099

bahut bura hua, make it 3408 without trial😔

Actual-Sprinkles932

Unlikely W for India's justice system. Hope he rots there for ever without a trail.

Savings-Diver-8348

Locked, because most of the comments failed to follow our rules.

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elblues

Girdusky is apparently formally kicked out of appearing on CNN [https://twitter.com/aidnmclaughlin/status/1851099487491502117](https://twitter.com/aidnmclaughlin/status/1851099487491502117)

mcgillhufflepuff

The guys face when he was confronted for wishing death on Hasan.

Gildardo1583

LibraryBig3287

&gt;Girdusky's comments appear to be in reference to an attack involving rigged pagers that Israel carried out in September against the militant group Hezbollah. 

Definitely needed context for me.

SunlightKillsMeDead

I feel like an idiot but I don’t understand what “I hope you’re beeper doesn’t go off means.

Brittanybooks

TheMegaMagikarp

Neither Girdusky or Hassan should be on CNN.... That being said, if you want to compare rhetoric, what Hassan has said about non-muslims is way worse.

WorkingPragmatist

The Supreme Court granted bail to senior journalist Kommineni Srinivasa Rao after his arrest by Andhra Pradesh police for comments made by a panellist during his show on Sakshi TV. The court emphasized the protection of journalistic rights and questioned the basis of Rao's arrest, noting he did not make the offensive statement himself. The controversy arose after derogatory remarks about women from Amaravati were made during a televised panel discussion.

Supreme Court Bail for Journalist Kommineni Srinivasa Rao

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