The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Punjab government to allow the Punjab Kesari Group to resume operations at its printing press in Ludhiana, Live Law reported.
The court also said the state should not take any coercive steps against the publication of the Punjab Kesari newspaper until the Punjab and Haryana High Court decides on a petition filed by the media group, the legal news outlet reported.
The printing press had been shut down on January 15 on the orders of the Punjab Pollution Control Board over an alleged water pollution related violation, advocate Mukul Rohatgi told the Supreme Court while appearing for the newspaper.
The Punjab Kesari Group has alleged that the action against it was triggered by its news reports on the ruling Aam Aadmi Party’s chief Arvind Kejriwal, Bar and Bench reported.
The media group publishes some of the highest-circulating Hindi and Punjabi dailies in the state, including Punjab Kesari, Jag Bani and Hind Samachar.
On Tuesday, a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant, and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and VM Pancholi directed the restoration of operations at the printing press after a petition filed by Jagat Vijay Printers and Hind Samachar Limited was mentioned for urgent hearing, Bar and Bench reported.
The Hind Samachar Limited is the parent company of the Punjab Kesari Group. Jagat Vijay Printers is a key printing entity within the Punjab Kesari Group.
Rohatgi told the Supreme Court that after it published certain articles critical of the state government, several coercive actions were initiated against its management, Live Law reported.
This included cutting off its electricity, notices by the pollution control board against the printing press, shutting down of the hotels run by Punjab Kesari Group and first information reports, among other such actions, he added.
“All this happened in a matter of two days because we published articles which are not favourable to the dispensation in Punjab,” Live Law quoted Rohatgi as saying.
The advocate also noted that the Punjab and Haryana High Court had reserved its judgement on Monday on similar petitions moved by the media group challenging the closure of its hotel and printing press, but had not granted any interim relief.
The group then approached the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, Additional Advocate General of Punjab Shadan Farasat told the Supreme Court that all actions taken by the state government were in accordance with the law, Live Law reported.
Farasat added that the High Court had already reserved judgement on the matter, which was expected within a day or two.
Responding to this, the chief justice said that the newspaper cannot be stopped. Farasat added that only one unit had been directed to shut down and not the entire newspaper.
“Don’t close the newspaper part,” Live Law quoted the Supreme Court as saying. “Hotel or other commercial establishment…can be closed for a few days. But allow the newspaper.”
Farasat also claimed that liquor bottles had been found in the printing press.
In response, Rohatgi asked: “Two bottles were found, and because of that you will close the paper.”
The Supreme Court directed that the printing press of the newspaper function uninterruptedly, subject to the judgement of the High Court.
It also noted that this interim order would continue till the pronouncement of the High Court’s judgement in the matter and for a week thereafter to enable the parties to seek legal remedies.
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