HC stays TV channels from telecasting Nityananda video

A bench of justices V Gopala Gowda and B S Patil ordered issue of notice to the state government and several TV channels on a PIL by former BJP MLA and advocate K N Subba Reddy. According to Reddy, some channels on March 3 had telecast video clippings of alleged illegal and immoral activities of Nityananda and a Tamil actress. Soon this was telecast in all channels across the country.

He submitted that the clippings contained obscene and immoral scenes and this would have a definite bearing on young children and had an impact on the elders. Such telecast would degrade several persons and also harm young minds, the petitioner said and prayed for a direction to the respondent media to stop and refrain from telecasting "the obscene, uncensored and private bedroom scenes".

Noting that he was neither defending Nityananda nor the activities, he said he was interested in upholding the great Indian culture and heritage. After passing the interim order, the judges adjourned the hearing on the petition to March 17.

Following violence targeting Nityananda's ashram near Bangalore and in Tamil Nadu and complaints of rape and cheating against him, the ashram had called the clippings a conspiracy to malign him, claiming they were morphed.