New Delhi: It is learnt that the Delhi High Court holding an ex-parte hearing imposed injunction restraining investigative media house Cobrapost from releasing its sing-operation “Operation 136: Part II” which is an expose on media houses, including indulgence in paid news, peddling communal agenda, mass polarization, and acceptance of illegal black currency.
The injunction is granted on the plea of media house Dainik Bhaskar.
The injunction order was passed on Thursday, just a day before Cobrapost was set to release its sting-operation based documentary at a press conference held at 3 PM at Press Club of India.
“…till further order unless varied by the court, defendants are restrained from in any manner releasing in public domain the documentary ‘Operation 136: Part II’ in any manner including at the Press Conference at the Press Club of India on May 25 at 3 PM and the defendants are further restrained from in any manner releasing in public domain the e-mail dated May 10 and other related telecommunications,” ordered Justice Mehta.
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Following the order, Cobrapost said, “In the interest of the whole truth reaching the public, we are trying our very best to vacate this injunction, but whether we shall be able to achieve this before 3 PM of 25th May 2018, remains to be seen.”
Cobrapost broke a story ‘Operation 136: Part I’, exposing 17 media houses and their ill practices, including indulgence in paid news, peddling communal agenda, mass polarization and acceptance of illegal black currency. Part one of the story was released on March 26.
The documentary showed a Cobrapost reporter posing as a religious activist working to help the BJP in 2019 elections by promoting Hindutva through media. It showed several media houses agreeing to the undercover reporter’s proposal of carrying communally-motivated news in lieu of money.