The Bombay High Court granted bail to Rhea Chakraborty who was pronounced guilty by certain TV channels for driving actor SSR to suicide, siphoning off his money, and dealing narcotic drugs. The court observed that Chakraborty was not guilty of any offense of embezzlement of opium, External dealing narcotic drugs, financing illicit trafficking, and/or any other offense involving commercial quantities. Ever since the 34-year-old actor was found dead, many news channels had falsely cooked up theories of his murder, a witch-hunt against his girlfriend Rhea. There is no need to pinpoint which are the channels and who are all the anchors shouting from housetops, everyone knows, who are all doing this type of dirty tricks to get TRP ratings and political patronage. Under pressure from the media trial, the case was handed over to CBI for further investigation.
Media is supposed to be the fourth pillar of democracy and report unbiased news. This case is a perfect example of how media houses sensationalise news rather than reporting facts. They have become a tool for political parties to disseminate their political propaganda to polarise the masses. Further news debates are being used as a platform to distract people from important issues rather than being informed.
There was no denying the fact that in addition to investigations and interrogations Chakraborty must have become the target of patriarchy, politics, and media trails. Notwithstanding the absence of solid evidence to prove that she had hand in his death, she was still labeled as a “murderer”, worse she received rape and murder threats. Many news channels declared her guilty even before the law did.
However numerous questions arise from this drama that surrounded the false murder case. The most unfortunate aspect being the wastage of precious time and resources by the investigating agencies to delve into a case that had been constructed on speculation, allegations, and wild imaginations.
Chakraborty admitted that social criticism and media trails had adversely affected her and her family’s mental health. What kind of democracy are we living in where an accused person undergoes all kinds of mortification, trails, and alienation before she is even proved guilty? Nobody can forget the day she was manhandled by the media. A woman’s image was tarnished for the vested interests of others. I feel, she deserves a public apology from the perpetrators, while there is an urgent need for implementation of rules laid down by existing media regulatory bodies, and it is important both Centre and state governments show maturity and rise above partisan political considerations in dealing with such complaints.
