Code for TV channels: directive to police chief

News  courtesy-The hindu

HYDERABAD: Justice Tamada Gopalkrishna of the High Court directed the City Police Commissioner to constitute a committee within three weeks to see that the programme code stipulated by the Centre was adhered to by various private TV channels.

The judge was dealing with a petition file by a practising advocate, Kameswara Rao, who complained that the channels were not adhering to the code, especially regarding content pertaining to violence and indecency. Justice Gopalakrishna reminded the police chief that guidelines stipulated formation of district level committees comprising head of the district/city police unit, principal of a women's college, social activists engaged in child welfare and reputed NGOs. The case has been adjourned for reporting compliance.

‘Bayyaram orders withdrawn'

The State Government informed Justice Subhash Reddy that orders were issued withdrawing earlier Government proceedings reserving Bayyaram area in Khammam district for exclusive use of APMDC.

It may be recalled that orders were issued reserving about 60,000 hectares of land, reportedly rich in iron ore, exclusively for mining by the A.P. Mineral Development Corporation. The APMDC entered into an MoU with Rakshana Steels which was to take up mining on behalf of the APMDC.

The area reserved for mining comprised agency areas and tribal habitations and there were allegations that the land had been alienated with an aim to hand it over to Rakshana Steels, owned by a close relative of former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy. Following the charges, the Government had earlier kept in abeyance the MoU and this was challenged by Rakshana Steels in the High Court.

The case came up for hearing and the court was informed that the Government had withdrawn its earlier orders reserving the area and a new order issued in this direction was placed before the court. The court took on record these proceedings and adjourned the matter.

Proceedings stayed

Justice G.V. Seethapati of the High Court on Friday stayed proceedings in the criminal case registered against the Executive Director of Ranbaxy Laboratories and Daiichi Sankyo Company Ltd and others.

The judge was dealing with a petition filed on Ranbaxy and Daiichi seeking a direction to quash the criminal complaint registered against them.

The court was informed that Chigurupati Jairam of Zenotech Lab tried to sell shares without first offering to Ranbaxy and Daiichi. The petitioners told the court that Mr. Jairam was restrained by the Company Law Board and he chose to file this criminal complaint.

Counsel appearing for the petitioners said filing a criminal complaint like this was abuse of the process of law. Justice Seethapati ordered notices to Jairam, posted the case to January 21, 2011, while directing the police not to arrest Tsutomu Une, chairman of Ranbaxy& Daiichi.