New Delhi, Dec 3 : The Supreme Court yesterday had a dig at the media saying it was "charging, convicting and executing" people outside the court.
"We are witness to individuals being charged not in the court of law, but outside (media) charged, tried convicted and executed. Ultimately public memory is short. Newspapers' value is only for two hours. After that they have only scrap value, though we are tempted to read it!
"But it is different with the electronic media because they run it for 24 hours," a bench of justices G S Singhvi and A K Ganguly said.
Then bench took the dig after senior counsel Andhyarujina appearing for former Telecom Minister A Raja complained that his client's reputation was badly tarnished on account of the adverse media coverage carried out on the basis of the CAG's report.
He said the figure quoted by the CAG was "highly mind boggling and sensational."
He claimed that the figure had badly tarnished the reputation of Raja on account of the perceived hype generated by the media on the issue evoking.
"You (Andhyarujina) are representing your client this we came to know through the media. "What is the solution? Can you stop people from doing the exercise, the Bench said.
However, it added that the same media reported the "hero's welcome" given to Raja when he went to Tamil Nadu.
"It was also shown in the media that your client was given a hero's welcome... We also came to know from the media that he was garlanded heavily. It is a mixed bag for you," the bench remarked.
Andhyarujina complained that one particular newspaper had tarnished his image by alleging that he was part of the strategy session convened by Solicitor General Gopal Subramanimum. The counsel lamented that though he wrote to the editor of the paper clarifying that he never attended the session, no clarification was issued nor was his letter replied to. PTI
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