India, Aug. 4 -- In a significant win for press freedom, the Karnataka High Court has set aside a gag order that had barred media outlets, including YouTube channels, from reporting on the alleged mass burials of sexual assault and murder victims in Dharmasthala over the past 20 years. The controversial ex parte injunction, issued by a Bengaluru civil court on July 8, was challenged by YouTube platform Kudla Rampage.

Justice M Nagaprasanna, delivering the verdict on Friday, quashed the lower court's order and remitted the matter for a fresh hearing. He emphasized that the trial court must now reconsider the interlocutory application with attention to the directions and observations outlined by the High Court.

The original gag order had ...