A privilege committee of the Maharashtra Legislative Council has recommended a five-day jail term for four journalists accused of defaming MLC Amol Mitkari through false reports. The decision targets content broadcast on the YouTube channel 'Satya Ladha'. No action is proposed against the channel's editor, who apologized.
The Maharashtra Legislative Council's privilege committee, chaired by BJP MLC Prasad Lad, has concluded its inquiry into a complaint filed by MLC Amol Mitkari. On Saturday, Lad informed the Upper House that four Akola-based journalists—Ganesh Sonawane, Harshada Sonawane, Amol Nandurkar, and Ankush Gawande—were responsible for airing defamatory and misleading material against Mitkari. This content, broadcast on the YouTube channel 'Satya Ladha', aimed to tarnish the MLC's public image with fabricated reports.
Mitkari had moved a breach of privilege motion against the journalists and the channel's editor, Satish Deshmukh. The committee found the four journalists culpable but spared Deshmukh after he submitted a written apology. The panel proposes implementing the five-day imprisonment during the ongoing winter session of the state legislature. If not feasible, the punishment should occur in the next session.
This recommendation underscores the council's stance on protecting legislators from what it deems false reporting. The incident highlights tensions between media freedom and legislative privileges in Maharashtra. The Upper House will now deliberate on the committee's findings.
