Two Zee editors arrested for 'Rs 100-crore extortion bid'
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TNN | Nov 28, 2012, 12.21 AM IST
NEW DELHI: Delhi Police’s crime branch arrested two editors of the Zee group on Tuesday, acting on a complaint by Congress MP Naveen Jindal who had accused the two of trying to extort Rs 100 crore worth of advertisements from his company in return for dropping stories linking the Jindal group with Coalgate.
The arrested journalists are Sudhir Chaudhary and Sameer Ahluwalia, editorial heads of Zee news and Zee business channels, respectively, a senior police officer said.
"Prima facie evidence of criminal conspiracy and extortion has been found against the two leading to their arrest," said S B S Tyagi, DCP, crime branch on Tuesday.
The editors had earlier denied the charges, calling it an attempt to target investigative journalism.
Police said the arrests came after forensic experts submitted a report stating the CD submitted by the MP which contained audio and video recording of conversations between the Zee editors and Jindal's officials, was "not doctored". Jindal had claimed to have done a "reverse sting" on the journalists to expose them.
The inter-state cell of crime branch said it had found other conclusive evidence against the Zee journalists.
"The two editors were called for questioning on Tuesday during which they could not give satisfactory answers to our questions. They were informed around 8.30pm about their arrest after four hours of questioning. They will be produced in a Saket court at 2pm on Wednesday," a senior cop said.
Another defamation case of Rs 100 crore suit on Zee March 18, 2014: A Rs. 100-crore defamation case was slapped on Zee, by famous Indian cricketer Mr. M.S. Dhoni, for attacks on his reputation.