New Delhi, Dec 2 (IANS) The Delhi High Court Wednesday rapped police for taking media to the crime scene, and asked all investigating agencies to adhere to stricter professional ethics so that crucial pieces if evidence are not destroyed.

A division bench of Chief Justice Ajit Prakash Shah and Justice S. Muralidhar said, ‘Police should be more conscious of the fact that taking media to the crime scene will destroy some crucial pieces of evidence and also a person’s dignity, which cannot be achieved later.’

The court made the observation on a public interest petition filed by an NGO seeking action against police officials for allegedly leaking to the media confessional statements made by the suspected terrorists in Batla House gun battle case. Two terrorists and a police inspector were killed in that shootout Sep 19 last year.

‘Protection of victim’s identity is in great danger and this practice by the media should be stopped immediately,’ the court said while asking the Delhi Police counsel Meera Bhatia to find out whether there is a code for policemen who brief media.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan said: ‘Any information given by police to the media during the course of the investigation should be banned and should amount to defamation and contempt.’

On this the court said, ‘We cannot ban the media like this. This is a democratic country and people have the right to know.’

Bhushan then suggested that media should not report till the police file charge sheet in the court, which will be a much safer option for media as well.

‘There should be some code for crime reporting. We want to know what is the status in other countries with regard to reporting criminal cases,’ the bench said and asked Bhushan to prepare a report by next date of hearing Dec 16.

The court also asked the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the National Broadcasters Association (NBA) to look into the matter and give their suggestions.