The Rajasthan High Court has dismissed a petition filed by Ashish Dave, the former head of Zee Rajasthan, seeking to quash an FIR registered against him on allegations of extortion and cheating. The FIR, lodged by Zee Media, accused him of using his position in the organisation to demand money from individuals and businesses by threatening to broadcast negative news about them. According to the complaint, several people were allegedly coerced into making payments after being warned that adverse reports would be aired if they refused. It was also alleged that, in certain instances, critical news items had been telecast without any authorisation, causing reputational harm to the individuals targeted.
In his plea, Dave argued that the FIR did not disclose any cognizable offence and claimed that the allegations were baseless, asserting that no direct victim had personally complained of extortion. He contended that the criminal proceedings initiated against him were an abuse of the law, intended only to harass him, and asked the Court to invoke its inherent powers to quash the complaint. The High Court, however, rejected these arguments after examining the material placed on record. The Court noted that the police had already recorded statements from multiple witnesses who supported the allegations made in the FIR. These statements indicated, at least at this preliminary stage, that money was demanded from various persons under the threat of negative media coverage and, in some cases, that payments had indeed been made. The bench held that such allegations, taken at face value, clearly disclosed a prima facie offence that warranted investigation.
The Court emphasised that its powers to quash criminal proceedings must be exercised sparingly and only in exceptional cases where the complaint does not reveal any offence or where the proceedings are manifestly frivolous. It observed that this was not such a case, as the claims in the FIR were specific, supported by witness statements, and suggested serious misconduct that required a full inquiry. The bench also stressed that the veracity of the allegations and the question of the petitioner’s guilt or innocence could only be determined after a proper investigation and, if required, during trial. It stated that the Court could not undertake such an evaluation at this stage, as doing so would amount to prematurely interfering in the investigative process.
While addressing the nature of the alleged offences, the Court underlined that the freedom of the press is an essential feature of a democratic society, but this freedom carries responsibilities. It remarked that journalistic privileges cannot be misused as instruments of coercion, blackmail, or unlawful financial gain. The Court observed that the media is expected to uphold values such as accuracy, fairness, and impartiality, and any deviation from these principles that results in exploitation of individuals or businesses is a serious matter. The allegations in the FIR, if proven, would represent conduct entirely inconsistent with the ethical obligations of the press.
Concluding that the FIR disclosed cognizable offences requiring full investigation, the Rajasthan High Court refused to quash the proceedings. The case will now continue through the regular investigative process, and any further determinations will be made based on the evidence collected.
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