New Delhi: A petition was filed on Wednesday in the Supreme Court challenging a Patna High Court order restraining the media from reporting the investigation into the case of the Muzaffarpur shelter home where at least 34 underage girls were allegedly raped and sexually abused.

The plea, which has sought a stay on the high court's August 23 order, has alleged that the order was "patently erroneous" as it amounted to imposing a "blanket ban" on the media reporting in the case.

"The high court was not justified in ignoring that the effect of the impugned order was a gross infarction of the fundamental right of the people to know and freedom of the press which is guaranteed under the Constitution," the plea, filed through advocate Fauzia Shakil, said.

The petitioner, a journalist, has said there is no material for the HC to conclude that media coverage may hamper the ongoing investigation. PTI