New Delhi: The Editors Guild of India on Saturday spoke out against Patna High Court's order restraining journalists from reporting on the investigation of rapes of inmates at a shelter home for minor girls in Muzaffarpur, Bihar.

"The Editors Guild of India is deeply concerned over a Patna High Court order restraining the media from reporting on the investigation into the Muzaffarpur shelter abuse case," a statement said.

"A verbal order issued by the division bench of Chief Justice Mukesh R. Shah and Justice Dr Ravi Ranjan on August 23 said that till the investigation into the shelter case was completed, all the print and electronic media were restrained from reporting anything with respect to the case, more particularly, with respect to the investigation already undertaken and/or which was likely to take place as it could seriously hamper the investigation of the case."

It added: "The Guild is distressed to note that the court, instead of protecting media freedom, has issued an order that has effectively curbed it. It condemns such orders as it believes that such restrictions on reporting on investigations into a matter of public importance are counterproductive.

"The Guild decries the recent growing trend of courts issuing such restraint orders on the media that undermine one of the pillars of democracy. It also appeals to the Chief Justices of the Supreme Court of India and Patna High Court to review the restraint order and uphold the principles of a free media and democracy."

Some 34 girls rescued from the shelter home were found to have been sexually abused. Bihar social welfare minister Manju Verma resigned following allegations of her husband's proximity to the man who ran the shelter, Brajesh Thakur. The CBI is probing the case.