Journalist sans independence same as judge who has lost independence: Former SC judge
Mumbai (PTI): Former Supreme Court judge B N Srikrishna has called for preserving the independence of journalists to ensure smooth functioning of democracy in the country.
Justice Srikrishna was speaking Friday night after presenting the annual RedInk awards for excellence in journalism, instituted by the Mumbai Press Club.
"Two professions have to be necessarily independent, a judge and a journalist. If they falter, democracy suffers," he said. "A journalist who loses his independence is as bad as a judge who has lost his independence," he added.
"Remember, you are in a profession where honesty is really the best policy," said the noted jurist, who headed the Srikrishna Commission that investigated causes and apportioned blame for the Mumbai riots of 1992 93.
Senior journalist TJS George was presented the RedInk Award for lifetime achievement for his distinguished career as an editor and columnist.
In the 1960s, George (94) was the editor of the Patna-headquartered newspaper 'The Searchlight' known for its anti-establishment stand.
The Press Club's 'Journalist of the Year' Award for 2021 was given to Om Gaur, National Editor of 'Dainik Bhaskar' for leading a team of reporters and photographers that "tirelessly exposed the tragedy of Covid deaths" in UP's towns and cities along the river Ganga.
In his acceptance speech, Gaur said he was receiving the award on behalf of his colleagues who made the coverage possible.
The awards, along with 24 other winners in 12 categories, were presented at NCPA auditorium in south Mumbai.
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Man arrested with Rs 2.54-crore heroin in Mumbai
Mumbai (PTI): Police have arrested a man and seized over 500 grams of heroin worth Rs 2.54 crore in the illicit market from him in Mumbai, officials said on Friday.
The police's Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) made the drug seizure in Santacruz in the western suburbs. The operation was conducted by the Kandivali unit of the ANC on Thursday as part of a special crackdown against drug trafficking in the area, they said.
Acting on specific inputs, an ANC team conducted a raid in Santacruz (East) and intercepted a man. During a search, the team recovered 508 grams of high-grade heroin from his possession, an official said.
The seized contraband, a highly addictive, opioid drug derived from morphine, is estimated to be worth Rs 2.54 crore in the international market, he informed.
Following the seizure, a case was registered against the man under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and he was formally placed under arrest in the early hours of Friday.
The police are currently investigating the source of the drug and trying to identify the intended recipients of the consignment, he said.
