Ramesh Chennithala Defends Case Against Journalist Over Nedumbassery Crash Report

Alappuzha: Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala has defended the police action against a journalist for reporting on the Nedumbassery fatal crash. He said the police acted after receiving a complaint and that media organisations must exercise caution while reporting news.

However, Chennithala had no answer when asked how reporting a speech at a press conference could amount to a criminal offence.

The Alappuzha South police registered a case against Manish Mahipal of Reporter TV on a complaint filed by Deputy Speaker Shanimol Usman. He was accused of inciting riots over his coverage of a speech delivered at a protest outside the Collectorate against alleged attempts to sabotage the case involving the Mini Cooper crash in Nedumbassery that killed three people.

The FIR alleges that Mahipal circulated news with the intention of creating unrest in the state and defaming Shanimol Usman in public.