The assurance was given by the Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam after a bench of Justices Altamas Kabir and Cyriac Joseph enquired about the progrees during the hearing of a PIL seeking a slew of directions on the issue.

"What has happened to the case? What is the progress?" the bench said during the hearing.

Interestingly, neither Surat Singh, an advocate who filed the PIL, nor the counsel for Rajesh Talwar--father of Aarushi, who had moved an impleadment application could answer the court's query on the issue.

It was then that the Solicitor General, who is appearing for CBI, assured the bench that the government would file a status report on the issue.

The apex court said its July 22, 2008, directing the media to exercise caution in reporting or telecasting matters relating to the case of murder of Aarushi and Hemraj would continue until further orders.

Surat Singh, in his PIL, has sought a series of directions to protect the reputation of the family which he alleges has been much maligned by the media and the police and also action against the police for keeping Dr Talwar in 50 days custody before declaring him innocent.

The bench permitted Talwar and the News Broadcasters Association to be impleaded (heard) in the matter before passing any direction. It also asked the Centre to file its reply on the Association's argument that it had its own self-regulatory mechanism in reporting/telecasting such incidents.

The apex court, however, clarified that it was not merely examining the specific issue relating to the media coverage of Aarushi murder case but rather a larger dimension of the freedom of press vis-à-vis the fundamental right and right to privacy of a citizen.

Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam, in his brief intervention, said the Centre was also keen on striking a "delicate balance" between the functional independence of the media and right to privacy and fundamental right of a citizen.

Besides the Union Home Ministry, Ministry of Law and Justice, I&B Ministry, CBI, and the UP Police, the PIL has listed the Press Council of India (PCI), Aaj Tak, NDTV, Times of India, Hindustan Times, CNN-IBN as respondents before the court.

The petition alleged the media had maligned the "sacred" father-daughter relations by "irresponsibly" reporting the incident.

Singh also sought a direction for setting up a five- judge "criminal justice system reforms committee" to inquire as to "why an innocent person" was allowed to rot in police custody for 50 days because of bungling and mishandling" by the investigation agencies.