Firstpost Editor's Picks: INX Media case, GDP slowdown, Saaho review; today's must read stories

**INX Media case: Outcry against P Chidambaram based on approver's testimony makes media appear as propaganda platform** Even as the prosecutorial processes present several infirmities that directly and substantially prejudice the constitutional safeguards of the accused, the public debate in these high-profile cases should be a subject of critical reflection. In recent times, there has been an increase in ‘mediatised’ criminal investigations which are successful in creating a prejudice against the accused. Much media criminology is underpinned by an often implicit assumption of media influence: the media distortion of crime and deviance has a significant impact on society, and this impact is somehow detrimental. **Nearly half of Haryana prisoners face police torture, says study: Lack of safeguards, official inaction tilts system against marginalised** For Haryana, the CHRI report noted that all prisons had legal aid clinics, and lawyers also visit jails for this purpose. Despite this, 90 inmates of the 475 respondents said they did not have a lawyer. However, the mere existence of legal aid is hardly enough to ensure proper representation in courts. As has been backed by numerous studies, legal aid lawyers often have little time or inclination to understand their clients’ cases or to interact with them. Also, lawyers are paid much less for legal aid cases than private practice, which contributes to their lack of motivation. **GDP growth slows to 7-year low at 5% in April-June from 8% a year ago; agriculture, manufacturing sectors show dismal performance** Continuing on its downward slide, the economic growth in the first quarter of FY20 slowed to 5 percent in April-June in a multi-year low. The previous low was recorded at 4.9 percent in April-June 2012-13. The economic growth was 8 percent in the same quarter of 2018-19. India’s economic growth dropped to 5 percent in the April-June quarter of 2019-20 due to a sharp deceleration in the manufacturing sector and sluggish agriculture output, according to official data released on Friday. **Tokyo Olympics 2020: In quest to regain lost glory, Indian hockey can take lessons from Belgium's rise** There was a time in the early eighties and even in the late 90s that Indian hockey stars played in the domestic league for their employers. Dhanraj Pillay played for Indian Airlines along with Ashish Ballal and AB Subbiah, who were India’s two top goalkeepers. Now, Indian hockey stars live in the Sports Authority of India campus like some secret training camp and the fans who drive this sport watch them only on TV. Those lakhs of fans across Jalandhar, New Delhi, Lucknow, Kolkata, Bhopal, Mumbai, Bangalore haven’t seen any of the present players in the domestic tournaments and one doesn’t have a clue whether the Hockey India League will make a comeback or not. **_Saaho_ movie review: Prabhas picks a generic masala mix to make a post-_Baahubali_ all-India splash. Yawn.** In the unending hours between the beginning and the end of Saaho, across locations in India and abroad, villains say stupid things in low voices, Prabhas’ character does things that we are told are impressive, there are fights and chases, bodies are battered, men in winged armoured suits fly through the air, mobikes zip down expressways and cars explode. A lot of it is very high tech and clearly very expensive. At the end of the day though, what we get is not a film but a little boy showing off his toys to his playmates.