The Delhi High Court has underscored the need for a legal framework to regulate the media while safeguarding press freedom, observing that the proliferation of digital platforms has enabled “anybody with a cell phone” to claim to be a journalist without accountability.
Hearing a bail plea filed by two men accused of assaulting freelance YouTube reporters, Justice Girish Kathpalia remarked that freedom of the press cannot be used as a shield for irresponsible journalism, intimidation or actions that jeopardise public order, according to a report by Bar & Bench.
The observations came in a case arising from an incident in July 2025, when two freelance YouTube reporters were allegedly assaulted by a mob while filming a video on an allegedly illegally constructed place of worship in Delhi’s Seemapuri area.
According to the report, members of the mob allegedly snatched the reporters’ camera battery and mobile phones during the attack. Two accused, Abid Ali and Fukran, were identified as part of the mob, arrested in connection with the incident, and subsequently approached the Delhi High Court seeking bail.
During the hearing, the High Court observed that the “self-styled” reporters had apparently agitated local residents while recording videos for their report. The court noted that such individuals often ask questions aggressively to create a misleading narrative.
The court further observed that such incidents have the potential to deepen social divisions and disturb communal harmony or public order.
Emphasising the need to strike a balance, the High Court said there is a pressing requirement for an appropriate legal framework to regulate media activities while ensuring that the constitutional guarantee of press freedom remains protected.
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