The Supreme Court yesterday ordered private television channel Ekattor TV to submit video footage of a talk show and a news item it aired on Monday on a sub-judice matter.
The four-member Appellate Division bench led by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha passed the order yesterday on its own volition and asked Attorney General Mahbubey Alam to contact with the authorities of the TV channel to submit the footages by August 16.
The court would examine whether the channel committed any contempt of court by broadcasting the news and conducting the talk show on a sub-judice matter, the attorney general told reporters after the court order.
“They aired the conversation of two judges at the talk show last night [Monday]. The participants of the talk show also discussed on the conversation. I think the matter is contemptuous. It has drawn attention of the court,” he said.
The bench on Monday held hearing on a contempt of court rule issued against the daily Janakantha Editor and Publisher Atiqullah Khan Masud and its Executive Editor Swadesh Roy for publishing an article on the alleged conversation over the verdict in the war crimes appeal case of Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury. It will pass an order on the matter on August 13.
“When a verdict is pending, broadcasting a report and a talk show on a sub-judice matter is tantamount to contempt of court,” the attorney general said.
