Freedom of speech not license to abuse justice system: Kerala High Court

A vibrant and independent press is essential to democracy, but freedom of speech and expression cannot be a license for persons "armed with half baked facts" and "little or no knowledge of judiciary" to "abuse" the justice delivery system, the Kerala High Court said on Monday referring to the media attention generated by the anticipatory bail plea of actor Dileep.

While granting anticipatory bail to the actor and the others who are accused of threatening the officers investigating the 2017 actress assault case and allegedly conspiring to eliminate them, the court said that mainstream television media and social media have commented upon the way the proceedings were conducted in the instant case.

"Observations made in Court during the course of hearing have been dissected and made subject matter of intense discussion," Justice Gopinath P observed.

The court further said, "The existence of a vibrant, independent and free press is no doubt essential to democracy.

"The constitutional Courts in this country have been zealous to protect the freedom of speech and expression but this cannot be a license for persons armed with half baked facts with little or no knowledge of how the judiciary functions and little or no knowledge of the fundamental legal principles that govern it, abuse the justice delivery system," the court said.