Nearly five years after the death of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has officially closed the case, giving a clean chit to Rhea Chakraborty and her family. The same Rhea Chakraborty who was relentlessly vilified, scrutinized, and subjected to a modern-day witch hunt by the media, politicians, and self-proclaimed ‘justice warriors’ on social media.
Fake News More Than Misinformation
The term ‘fake news’ is often thrown around, but it has evolved beyond just being a buzzword. Journalists Cherilyn Ireton and Julie Posetti, in their book Journalism, Fake News & Disinformation: Handbook for Journalism Education and Training, categorize fake news into three types:
Misinformation – False news spread unintentionally.
Disinformation – Deliberate falsehoods and propaganda.
Malinformation – Manipulated information with a malicious agenda.
In India, we see all three at play. Take Rhea’s case as an example.
Before the legal system could do its job, social media had already pronounced Rhea guilty. Hashtags like #JusticeForSSR were weaponized to paint a narrative. Among the loudest voices were now BJP MP and actor Kangana Ranaut. An independent woman herself, she called Rhea a ‘gold digger’.
Pradeep Bhandari, a former journalist and now a BJP figure, played a key role in this smear campaign. He, along with his former boss, hounded Rhea and her family, claiming to ‘fight for justice.’
News anchor Navika Kumar, who once boasted about possessing ‘bags full of evidence,’ c couldn’t provide any to the CBI.
The media trials didn’t end at character assassination, it went further down to stereotype Rhea based on her being a Bengali woman. She was accused of black magic from the studios. News channels ran absurd graphics and sensationalist headlines, playing into centuries-old prejudices.
Will all of these justice warriors issue an apology now?
Reality Vs Sensationalism: Indian Media during Pandemic
Sushant Singh Rajput died on June 14, 2020. At the time, India was battling the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, instead of focusing on government failures and public health crises, mainstream media fixated on sensationalizing Sushant’s death. Why? For TRPs. Because higher TRPs mean higher ad revenue. But financial incentives were not the only driving force. In many cases, media houses traded their integrity for political favor, targeting specific communities and individuals to align with certain ideological narratives.
Take the case of Tablighi Jamaat. During COVID, this religious gathering was labeled as a ‘super spreader event’ by both media and politicians. However, Delhi’s Saket Court acquitted 36 foreign nationals who were charged under the Epidemic Act. The Bombay High Court quashed 29 FIRs, stating that the group had been made ‘scapegoats.’ The court explicitly condemned the media’s role in spreading propaganda against them.
Media Frenzy a Pattern to Keep Driving Viewership
Rhea Chakraborty was not the first victim of a media trial, nor will she be the last.
In 2016, after the JNU protests, student leader Umar Khalid were accused of having links with Pakistan. No evidence was ever found, but the damage was done. In Indore, a bangle-seller named Tasleem was falsely accused and jailed for four months. Politicians and media channels turned him into a scapegoat, yet when he was acquitted, the same loud voices disappeared.
False narratives are everywhere. From allegations that Muslim men celebrated India’s cricket losses by bursting crackers, to distorting slogans like ‘Naseer Sahab Zindabad’ into ‘Pakistan Zindabad’; the cycle continues. The media sets a narrative, targets an individual or community, and before the falsely accused can prove their innocence, the focus shifts to a new target.
Given the state of mainstream media, it’s time for journalism to carry disclaimers—just like mutual funds do.
Journalism is under the control of the powerful and those who spread hate. Viewers should carefully observe journalists, their reporting, and news platforms. Fluctuations in news, factors influencing public perception, and underlying powers can affect TRP and advertisements. In this era, journalism does not guarantee or assure justice; it operates under the influence of the powerful’s coins. Viewers are advised to carefully analyze the news and seek expert professional advice to avoid legal issues and fake news before sharing anything.
If we, as responsible consumers of news, start questioning media narratives, we may prevent future injustices. So, the next time you see a media trial unfolding, ask yourself—and ask them—Janaab, aise kaise?