Media Trial: A Tool to Sabotage the Fair Trial Principle

In a democratic country like India, the media acts as a fourth pillar to provide transparency accountability, raise public awareness, and facilitate a forum for public discussion. The media is a one-way channel of communication that reaches the vast majority of the general public. It covers almost every issue and the subject of daily national/state/local affairs. It would not be inappropriate to say that people consider everything true they get to know through these media channels. But the truth of today’s media is inept to be considered as the most important and efficient source of news and information. In a criminal justice system, the relationship between crime and media’s perception is much important. The media plays an essential role in public policymaking. Further, its coverage of crime news stories also helps to set the agenda and reinforce support for punitive policies. In various cases, the apex court has opined that the media should observe restraint while reporting the case so as not to interfere with a fair trial. There are many cases where the media has performed public vilification of the accused and holds a parallel investigation. Today, the media is more focused upon the discovery of facts as a way of earning Television Rating Point (TRP) to gain more audience. They are less bothered about the credibility of the source. Nowadays, the media is violating all norms of ethical journalistic practice while reporting crime and investigation.