News Broadcasting
Journalists can be prosecuted for sting operations: CBI
NEW DELHI : Journalists can be prosecuted on corruption charges for conducting sting operations to expose corruption in public life, according to the Central Bureau of Investigation.
The CBI told the Supreme Court that a party to a sting operation, allegedly undertaken to expose corruption by public servants, can be liable for prosecution under the Prevention of Corruption Act, if he/she does not inform the law enforcing agency before or immediately after the sting.
A bench headed by Justice Altmas Kabir admitted petitions filed by journalist Arvind Vijaymohan and businessman Rajat Prasad who are facing prosecution for their role in a sting operation. The petitions challenge the 30 May 2008 order of the Delhi High Court dismissing their plea against framing of charges by a special CBI court in Delhi.
The video showed then Environment Minister Dilip Singh Judeo allegedly receiving Rs 900,000 bribe from an Australian firm in exchange for mining rights in Chhattisgarh on 5 November 2003.
Senior counsel Harish Salve who appeared for the petitioners said journalists exposing corruption in public life could not be prosecuted as they acted like ‘whistleblowers’.
He drew the court’s attention to the NDTV sting operation case in which the court praised the channel for exposing the nexus between the accused and the prosecution and no action was taken against the journalists.
The CBI, however, has said a party to a sting operation can also be prosecuted when there is active inducement by the sting party or when there are other vested interests other than the public interest.
The probe agency asserted: “Law enforcement is exclusively a function of government machinery. Others can only help the competent/intended government institution in enforcing the law of the land but can never do the job independently taking law into their hands keeping the intended government machinery at bay.”
News Broadcasting
Rising Bharat Summit 2026 spotlights India’s global ascent
PM Modi keynotes two-day event with ministers, diplomats and icons in New Delhi.
MUMBAI: India didn’t just host a summit, it threw a coming-out party for a nation ready to own the global stage. The News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2026, held on 27–28 February in New Delhi, emerged as a high-octane platform for ideas, vision and strategic dialogue, uniting national leadership, global policymakers, industry titans, defence strategists and cultural icons under the theme “Strength Within”.
Prime minister Narendra Modi set the tone with a keynote that framed India’s resurgence as a reclaiming of lost potential built over generations. “In previous industrial revolutions, India and the Global South were merely followers,” he said. “But in the era of Artificial Intelligence, India is a partner in decisions and shaping them.” He highlighted the country’s thriving AI startup ecosystem and the recent AI Impact Summit attended by over 100 nations.
Union minister Piyush Goyal (Commerce & Industry) stressed India’s readiness to scale exports and deepen manufacturing, while Ashwini Vaishnaw (Railways, I&B, Electronics & IT) positioned technology and infrastructure as twin engines of growth, especially in AI and digital trust. Jyotiraditya Scindia (Communications & North East Development) revealed India’s ambition to lead in 6G through the Bharat 6G Alliance and partnerships with over 30 countries.
Global voices added depth: former Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo called India’s development “self-sustaining” and strategically vital; ex-UK Chief of Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter asserted India deserves a seat at the great powers’ table; and former US Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez joined ambassadors from Norway, Germany and Sweden in discussions on geopolitical realignment, sustainability and defence preparedness.
Other speakers included veteran investor Ramesh Damani, World Gold Council CEO David Tait, Vianai Systems founder Dr Vishal Sikka, DeepTech Bharat Foundation co-founder Shashi Shekhar Vempati, defence experts Rajesh Kumar Singh, Sunil Ambekar, Patrick McGee, Tom Cooper and Adrian Fontanellaz, plus cultural and sporting icons Kangana Ranaut, Saina Nehwal, PR Sreejesh, Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mithali Raj, Anil Kapoor and Yami Gautam.
The summit was supported by Jio Financial Services (Presenting Partner), Phonepe and DS Group (Co-Presenting Partners), Pernod Ricard India and Kia Seltos (Powered By & Driven By), state governments of Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand (State Partners), and associate partners including NSE, M3M Foundation and Reliance Industries.
Broadcast live across News18 Network, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz, the event reinforced India’s image as a confident democracy and emerging global power proving that when strength comes from within, the world can’t help but watch.
