Private television news channel NDTV yesterday called CBI raids on the premises of its owners a political attack and said it was the government's attempt to silence the media
Prannoy Roy, co-owner of NDTV
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Private television news channel NDTV yesterday called CBI raids on the premises of its owners a political attack and said it was the government's attempt to silence the media.
In a statement on the CBI action, the channel said ruling party politicians could not "stomach" the "independence and fearlessness" of NDTV's team.
"The CBI raid is merely another attempt at silencing the media," it said.The channel expressed shock that the CBI conducted raids on NDTV offices and the owners' residences without conducting a preliminary enquiry.
"This is a blatant political attack on the freedom of the press as sources confirm that under pressure, the CBI has been compelled to file an FIR based on a shoddy complaint by a disgruntled former consultant at NDTV," it said.
Identifying the ex-employee as Sanjay Dutt, the statement said he had been making false allegations and filing cases in the courts of law. "So far, he has not obtained a single order from any of these courts," it said.
The sharp reaction from NDTV came after the CBI carried out searches in the residences and offices of channel owners Prannoy Roy and his wife Radhika Roy. On the allegations mentioned in the CBI case, NDTV said the loan of R375 crore taken from ICICI Bank – which it was accused of not paying back — had been repaid more than seven years ago.
"NDTV and its promoters have never defaulted on any loan to ICICI or any other bank. We adhere to the highest levels of integrity and independence," the statement said.
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