Govt lifts ban on Live India Channel

The month-long ban on the Live India Channel imposed on 20 September for telecast of a fake sting which led to a law and order problem and arrest of a Delhi school teacher, has been lifted with effect from 13 October.

This follows the acceptance by the government of the plea by the channel that there was no deliberate mala fide intention and the reporter had misled them and unfortunately the sting operation telecast on 30 August took a different shape.

The government has, therefore, decided to revoke the prohibition imposed on transmission/re-transmission of the Live India (Janmat) TV Channel on all platforms with effect from midnight tonight.

The sting operation that involved teacher Uma Khurana was found to be ‘defamatory, deliberate, false and contained suggestive innuendos and half truths; incited violence and contained content against maintenance of law and order.’ It ‘criticized, maligned and slandered an individual in person and it denigrated children.’

Broadcast Initiatives Limited, distributor and uplinking applicant for Live India (earlier named Janmat) TV, in their appeal of 21 September and 4 October submitted that that they had exercised all due diligence and care according to the prevailing industry practice and there was no deliberate attempt by the channel to defame anybody by telecasting the sting operation. But it subsequently emerged that the reporter had misled them.

Agency