Apex court to hear scribes' plea against lathi charge

The Supreme Court will on Monday hear a petition filed by a group of journalists seeking direction to the Centre and Haryana for a judicial probe into the assault of mediapersons during a police crackdown on self-styled godman Rampal in Hisar, Haryana.

A three-judge bench presided by Chief Justice H L Dattu ordered that the petition be listed for December 1 after senior advocate Rajeev Dhawan, appearing for the journalists, sought an urgent hearing. The journalists are seeking punishment for “erring police officials”, who lathi-charged them “without caution and care” and without provocation.