Press freedom can't be unfettered: Court on bail to journalist

Press enjoys freedom of speech

and expression but it cannot be "unfettered", and reasonable restrictions are required to be followed in the interest of public order, a Mumbai court observed in its recent order while granting bail to television journalist Rahul Kulkarni.

The journalist was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly 'spreading misinformation' through his report that the government was thinking of starting train services to ferry migrants, which allegedly led to a crowd gathering in Bandra area of Mumbai on Tuesday.

A metropolitan magistrate court of P B Yerlekar granted him bail on Thursday.

The court in its order said, "There can be no doubt that the press enjoys freedom of speech and expression. However, the said freedom cannot be said to be unfettered."

Reasonable restrictions are required to be followed while enjoying the freedom, in the interest of public order, the court said.

"The accused should have borne those restrictions in mind while reporting the news