Jindal says sting shows ‘extortion bid’ by Zee

Speaking to the media for the first time after his company filed an FIR with the Crime Branch of Delhi Police on October 2,Jindal accused the media group of extortion attempt and willful defamation.

The footage,reportedly comprising audio and video clips recorded using spy cameras by JSPL executives,was submitted with the FIR and sent for forensic verification by the police. The forensic reports have not come yet.

“The matter was under investigation,so we had decided not to speak to the media. But Zee has been misusing their platform and running one-sided negative reports against us and making all kinds of allegations…we,therefore,decided to present our side of the story and release this footage so that the people can make the right judgment,” said Jindal.

While the total video recording done by JSPL reportedly runs into two-and-a-half hours,about 15 minutes of the footage was released today. This purportedly shows Chaudhary and Ahluwalia negotiating an advertising deal with JSPL executives in exchange for stopping their negative reports on the coal block allocation row.

Referring to a previous meeting,JSPL executives are heard protesting that Zee’s alleged demand of Rs 100 crore was too much,saying Ahluwalia had first demanded Rs 25 crore for four years.

Both Ahluwalia and Chaudhary are heard replying that there may have been a “communication error” as the demand was “Rs 25 crore per year for four years”.

“Ho sakta hai ki humare kehne sunane mein kuch idhar udhar ho gaya ho,” Ahuluwalia is heard saying in the footage.

A JSPL executive is heard asking how Ahluwalia will undo the damage done to Jindal’s image. “…humne to apna aapko roadmap de diya ki ji hum yeh arrangement kar denge… aapne koi planning banai hai ki isko theek kaise karenge?” he asks.

Chaudhary replies that the biggest protection they are offering is that after the said “arrangement”,there will be no negative reporting.

“…Second phir ye hai ki phir sochenge ki kya kaise karna hai,kaun si cheez upar dalnee hai,kaun si cheez neeche dalni hai,” he says.

Chaudhary is heard insisting on finalising the “arrangement”,as he assures Jindal executives that “ye karne ke baad…the logic which works is this…this module works…pay model…main keh raha tha ki you are one of the clients,to channel bhi,management bhi ye rakhta hai ki theek hai yaar they are friends…uske baad ek association ban jaati hai…tab hota hai ye sab…nahin to.”

The two Zee executives are also heard assuring JSPL officials that their “arrangement” will apply to all the channels owned by Zee Ltd as well as DNA,the English newspaper owned by one of the Essel Group companies.

Meanwhile,Zee has rubbished the allegations. Zee reporters protested at Jindal’s press conference itself. They were accompanied by an RTI activist,Ramesh Agrawal from Chhattisgarh,who called Jindal a liar. Agrawal,later,told mediapersons that he was attacked by Jindal’s men for raising questions about his project in Raigarh.

On October 19,Zee News ran a special programme anchored by Chaudhary in which he alleged that in a bid to stop Zee’s investigations into coal blocks allocation to JSPL,the company tried to bribe Zee by offering Rs 100 crore as advertising. Chaudhary said he and Ahluwalia played along with JSPL officials because they wanted to expose Jindal’s nefarious efforts.