Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
Journalism of Courage
Premium
This is an archive article published on March 5, 2024
Jharkhand police summon Delhi reporters of 4 news channels over coverage of ED searches at Soren residence
Sources in the police said that the reporters had initially run stories of the seizure of a BMW car and Rs 36 lakh cash by the ED from Soren’s Delhi residence on January 29.
Former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren. (Express file photo by Praveen Khanna)
The Jharkhand Police have summoned reporters of four news channels based in New Delhi in a case registered by former chief minister Hemant Soren against Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
Sources in the police said that the reporters had initially run stories of the seizure of a BMW car and Rs 36 lakh cash by the ED from Soren’s Delhi residence on January 29. Sources added that the reporters will be questioned on the source of the news, adding that the summons were issued some time last month.
Hours before his arrest, on January 31, Soren had lodged a complaint with the Ranchi police alleging that the ED conducted a search operation at his residence in Delhi on January 29 to “harass and malign him and his entire community”. Soren wrote in his complaint that the ED officials had informed the media about the search to create a spectacle and “cause disrepute to him in the eyes of the general public”.
Ranchi Senior Superintendent of Police Chandan Kumar Sinha said, “We have issued summons to the reporters of four media channels: News18, Zee News, Aaj Tak and News 24. We had asked them to come to Ranchi for an investigation, however, they have replied that they won’t be able to come. So, we will go to them.”
When asked about the subject and the reason behind the summon, Sinha said: “This is an ongoing investigation and we cannot reveal further details.”
The FIR had been registered under SC/ST Act sections 3(1) (p) (instituting false, malicious or vexatious legal proceedings), (r) (intentional insult or intimidation to humiliate to any place within public law), (s) (abusing by caste name in any place within public view), (u) (promoting feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will).
The FIR named ED Additional Director Kapil Raj, Assistant Director Deovrat Jha and two other officials — Anuman Kumar and Aman Patel — and other unknown officials.
Story continues below this ad
Soren had said that when he arrived in Ranchi, he saw that the electronic and print media had carried news that a search operation was conducted in Jharkhand Bhawan and Shanti Niketan in New Delhi. Soren said that this was done to harass and malign him and his entire community. “The local coverage in the media of the following…is designed against me as a member of Schedule Tribes,” stated the complaint lodged on January 31 by Soren.
Meanwhile, the ED officials had challenged the registration of the FIR in the Jharkhand High Court, which granted a stay on the police proceedings on them.
Advertisement
Loading Recommendations...
Advertisement
Live Blog