Mangalam TV CEO apologises for sting against former minister

Saseendran resigned as minister on Sunday.

Mangalam TV, which had aired an audio clip of a lewd conversation that allegedly transpired between former transport minister A K Saseendran and a woman, on Thursday offered unconditional apology for the sting operation done using a woman journalist of the channel. The apology from Mangalam CEO A Ajithkumar was telecast soon after the government announced a police probe into the incident, which forced Saseendran to quit as Transport Minister.

Ajithkumar said an eight-member team was involved in the sting operation, in which a woman scribe had “voluntarily” come forward to trap the minister. After the news came out, there was strong criticism from various quarters, including in media circles. The criticism in social media also forced the channel to tender the apology. This mistake would not be repeated. However, Mangalam would continue its fight against evil forces, he added. The CEO also pleaded that the media venture should not be destroyed on account of this lapse.

The channel had earlier claimed that the audio clip was part of a conversation the minister had with a woman complainant. The audio was handed over to the channel by the woman after she wanted to expose the harassment from the minister.

Apart from the judicial probe, the government has announced a police investigation. Two cases were registered under sections of IPC and IT Act based on complaints from advocates Sreeja Thulsi and Mujeeb Rahman. Crime Branch IG Dinendra Kashyap is supervising the probe. Saseendran, meanwhile, welcomed the apology. “I have no complaints against anyone. The party would decide whether I should return to the cabinet,’’ he said in Kozhikode. NCP state president Uzhavoor Vijayan said Saseendran would become a minister again.