SC Bench Divided Over Sting Operations

• Prasad and others, including former chief minister Ajit Jogi’s son Amit Jogi, are facing trial for allegedly planning the sting operation on Judeo in 2005 allegedly to derive political mileage. Appearing for Prasad, senior advocate Harish Salve said if his client was to be prosecuted for conducting the sting on Judeo, then the other TV channels which showed the sting operations relating cash-for-query and cash-for-vote should also be liable to be prosecuted.
  
• Justice Katju said he was all for sting operations, which were the only way to expose corrupt elements. “How can those carrying out sting (operations) against the corrupt be booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act?” he asked.
  
• Coming in defence of those who conduct sting operations to expose corruption, Justice Katju said: “There is no intention to commit a crime. How can they be equated with criminals.”
  
• A Supreme Court judge on Friday defended the use of sting operations by journalists to expose corruption in the society.
  
• During the hearing of a case a relating to a sting operation against former Union Minister and BJP leader Dilip Singh Judeo, Justice Markandey Katju said: “I totally agree with sting operations. There should be more sting operations. Corrupt elements can be brought to light by these sort of operations.”
  

• Katju’s remarks contrast the approach of another bench headed by Chief Justice of India K.G. Balakrishnan, which has been insisting on an “unconditional apology” from a TV channel reporter who exposed corruption in subordinate courts in Gujarat through a sting operation.

  The reporter had obtained bailable warrants from an Ahmedabad court against four prominent persons including then President APJ Abdul Kalam and then Chief Justice of India in 2004.