MUMBAI, Oct 11:
Republic TV today said it will not succumb to any efforts to curtail editorial freedom, after its CEO and COO were questioned by Mumbai police in connection with a TRP manipulation investigation.
The two senior Republic officials appeared before the Mumbai police today for questioning in the Television Rating Points (TRP) manipulation racket, an official said.
“If there is an attempt to use state machinery to scrutinise the sources of an independent media network and bring back an Emergency-style editorial control into the media, we will stand strongly against it,” Republic TV said.
Police had issued summons to Republic TV’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Vikas Khanchandani and two Chief Operating Officers (COO) for questioning in the case.
Khanchandani and COO Harsh Bhandari, who appeared before the police today, were questioned for nine and five hours respectively, police said.
Police also recorded the statement of Ghanshyam Singh, a senior member of Republic TV’s distribution team.
In a statement, Republic Media Network said it won’t “give in to any endeavours” to curtail editorial freedom.
“Today our CEO, COO and a senior member of our Distribution team were questioned by the Mumbai Police for 20 hours in all. We are shocked to learn that in the course of questioning the Republic Media Networks CEO Vikas Khanchandani, Mumbai Police made multiple attempts to probe in detail as to how the Network accessed the Hansa Research Group Pvt Ltd. (Hansa) complaint.
“Specific, repeated and detailed questioning went on about how Republic accessed the Hansa complaint report which blew the lid off the lies peddled against Republic Media Network,” the statement said.
“As everyone is aware, the Hansa complaint report made multiple mentions of India Today without a single reference to Republic TV, Republic Bharat or any affiliate of the Republic Media Network. The report which was bereft of any mention of Republic was the very basis of the FIR, and was put into the public domain by Republic on 10 October, 2020,” it said. (PTI)
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel