Date:27/10/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/10/27/stories/2006102712010300.htm

New Delhi

Press Council of India pulls up four publications

Special Correspondent

For publishing unethical and irresponsible write-ups

NEW DELHI: Four publications have been pulled up by the Press Council of India (PCI) for publishing "unethical and irresponsible write-ups without verifying the facts and for violation of the norms of journalistic conduct."

While Dainik Bhaskar (Gurgaon) and the Agra-based Hindi weekly Rozgar Sangrah were "warned" by the PCI, Times of India (Hyderabad) and the Kannada monthly Mathukathe were admonished. In the case of the Times of India, the Council admonished it for publishing a baseless report.

Stating that the paper failed to bring on record evidence to the complaint of Shafi-ur-Rahman, the Council said the "impugned report, therefore, apparently lacked basis and appeared to be cooked up".

A similar observation was made in the case of Dainik Bhaskar for publishing a "false, malicious, mischievous and defamatory news report with the motive of defaming and degrading the reputation of the Government Women's College, Gurgaon, its principal and staff".

Taking a grim view of the fact that the paper did not publish the clarification of the complainant, the Council directed the respondent editor to publish the clarification without any counter allegations. Mathukathe was admonished for violating journalistic ethics by publishing libellous material aimed at denigrating the complainant, Paul G.D. Cunha, by using foul language.

According to the Council, the magazine editor not only failed to exercise his editorial discretion by cutting out and editing the libellous statement but also did not observe the statutory norms of journalistic conduct on pre-publication verification.

Rozgar Sangrah was found guilty of publishing an unauthorised advertisement on appointment of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the Uttar Pradesh Bhoomi Sudhar Nigam, Lucknow.