Fake reporters:HC warns that it will set up panel to examine

Taking a firm step to weed out fake press reporters, the Madras High Court on Tuesday warned that it will constitute a special committee to examine assets and liabilities possessed by them to know as to whether they are genuine press persons or not and if it is in consonance with their known source of income. It was brought to the court's notice that many persons claiming themselves to be press people are said to have been committing crimes and blackmailing business people and government officials.

A division bench of Justices N Kirubakaran and P Velmurugan said "If this court is convinced, this court will constitute a special committee to look into the circulation of those magazines as well as newspapers." It will also examine the Income Tax paid by those persons from the date of their first publication and properties, assets and liabilities possessed by them to know as to whether they are genuine press persons or not and if it is in consonance with their known source of income, the bench said. It further impleaded the 'Audit Bureau of Circulations', Mumbai as the respondent to know the details of the circulation of newspapers and magazines.

Public prosecutor A Natarajan submitted there are a number of cases filed against fake press people and details of those cases have been collected from various districts and sought time to file the details. The bench then posted the matter for further hearing to February 5..

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