NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court today issued a notice to the Centre, the Uttar Pradesh government, and the Press Council of India on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the killing of Uttar Pradesh journalist Jagendra Singh allegedly at the behest of UP minister Ram Murti Verma.

The Court ordered notice, returnable in two weeks, on the PIL filed by Sadbhawna Sandesh editor Satish Jain.

The PIL urged the court to formulating guidelines in cases of threat, attack or unnatural death of journalists across India.

The petitioner also wanted the Court to formulate the guidelines to ensure that the investigation will be monitored by the local Sessions Judge in case of unnatural death of a journalist.

Singh was doused with kerosene oil and set on fire. Before he died, he is reported to have asked why didn’t they beat him up instead of burning him if they had a grievance against any report filed by him.