Cabinet minister condemns Mumbai Police's witch-hunt on Republic TV, calls it 'Emergency'

As the witch-hunt against the Republic Media Network continues by the Mumbai Police, cabinet ministers from Bihar and Madhya Pradesh strongly condemned the FIR against 1000 Republic TV employees.

Bihar Cabinet Minister Ashok Chaudary on Saturday, October 24 said that FIR against Republic reminds of the Emergency period. "We condemn it. This reminds us of Emergency", Chaudary said. Meanwhile, MP Cabinet minister Vishwas Sarang also reacted to the witch hunt by the Mumbai police and said  "Param Bir Singh crossed all limits and it is very disappointing. They (Mumbai police) want to make Maharashtra Taliban rule", Sarang said.

MP Speaker Rameshwar also slammed the Maharashtra government for violating the law. He said that the Maha govt should not crush the fourth pillar of democracy.

Republic employees questioned over 100 hours

Republic employees have been questioned for over a combined 100 hours in this brazen attack on freedom of the press. Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami has been questioned for 20 hours, whereas Niranjan Narayanaswamy for 17 hours, Senior Executive Editor Abhishek Kapoor for 7 hours, Republic Media Network CEO Vikas Khanchandanani for 7 hours, Assistant Vice President Ghanshyam Singh for 25 hours, CFO Sundaram for 32 hours and COO Harsh Bhandari for 8 hours.

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The witch-hunt against Republic TV

Addressing a press briefing on October 8, Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh accused Republic TV and two other channels of rigging TRPs by paying viewers to keep their channels on for longer periods. However, the 7-page Hansa Research report and the original FIR dated October 6  made no mention of Republic TV, Republic Bharat, Republic World, or any affiliate of the Republic Media Network. Meanwhile, the Mumbai Police have focused on uncovering the source of the Hansa Research report.

On Friday, the police asked Republic Media Network CFO Sundaram to submit details of every transaction and detail of every journalist associated with the Network. The details sought by the team include costs of coffee vending machine, air-conditioning equipment, furniture, gardening, makeup, suits and even hairbrush, toilet paper, tissue papers, A4 paper and other stationery. Moreover, an FIR against the entire editorial team of the network has been filed under various sections of the Police (Incitement to Disaffection) Act 1922 and the Indian Penal Code. 

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