The Delhi High Court Wednesday asked the government what action it was contemplating to take against a TV channel that had telecast an allegedly fake sting operation framing a government schoolteacher.

"What action is the government contemplating against the channel, which led to the suffering of a woman by accusing her to be running a sex racket involving students," a division bench headed by Chief Justice M.K. Sarma asked.

The information and broadcasting ministry had issued a show-cause notice to the channel, Live India, directing it to respond within three days why action should not be taken against it, the government counsel told the bench.

The bench asked the government to file a criminal complaint against the channel, its reporter and others for subjecting the teacher, Uma Khurana, to harassment.

"If an offence is committed, you have to register a case and start criminal proceedings," the court said, rejecting the government lawyer argument that the show-cause notice was sufficient.

The high court on Sep 7 had issued notices to the Delhi government and Delhi Police after taking notice of media reports that the 'sting operation' was fake and distorted.

The 'sting operation' was shown on the channel on Aug 30 alleging that Khurana, 41, was pushing some of her girl students into a prostitution and pornography racket.

The telecast provoked a mob to attack Khurana and the Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya at Asaf Ali Road in central Delhi where she taught. While police arrested her, the Delhi government sacked her without a proper inquiry.

Police investigations later, however, revealed that the 'sting operation' was stage-managed.

Reporter Prakash Singh was son arrested and has been subjected to intensive interrogation even as Khurana was Monday granted bail for want of evidence against her.