Reprieve for Indian journalists

The verdict has been criticised as an attack on the freedom of press

India's Supreme Court has put on hold the sentencing of four journalists of a daily newspaper who had accused a former chief justice of corruption.

The journalists were sentenced to four months in prison by the high court in Delhi which ruled that the allegations constituted a contempt of court.

The allegations appeared in an India tabloid, Mid Day.

Last week's court ruling was criticised by the Indian media which described it as a threat to press freedom.

The journalists have stood by their story and appealed against their sentences in the Supreme Court.

In its order, the Delhi High Court had said the four Mid Day journalists, including its publisher, two editors and a cartoonist, had tarnished the image of the judiciary by publishing articles against a former chief justice of the Supreme Court.

Strongly criticised

By this, the court said, "they have attacked the very institution which, according to us, is nothing short of contempt".

The newspaper has published several articles critical of a ruling passed by the former Chief Justice, YK Sabharwal, ordering the demolition of scores of illegal shops and commercial buildings in Delhi.

The reports alleged that the order benefited Mr Sabharwal's sons and their business interests.

The former chief justice has denied the allegations.

The Editors' Guild of India, a group of senior newspaper editors, has said it will meet soon to press for a change in India's contempt laws to protect journalists.