Noida (UP), Jun 8 (PTI): The head of a private television news channel and its editor were Sunday remanded in 14-day judicial custody for allegedly broadcasting defamatory content against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, police said.
Nation Live channel head Ishika Singh and editor Anuj Shukla were arrested Saturday, the police said.
"They were produced in a local court today (Sunday) which remanded them in 14-day judicial custody," Gautam Buddh Nagar Senior Superintendent of Police Vaibhav Krishna told PTI.
During a debate on the Noida-based news channel on June 6, a woman had allegedly made defamatory statements against Adityanath, according to officials.
Workers affiliated to a political party had approached the police with a complaint against the news channel for broadcasting the claims of the woman without verifying facts, the officials said.
A case was registered against the channel officials at Phase 3 police station under Indian Penal Code sections 501 (printing or engraving matter known to be defamatory), 153 (promoting enmity between different groups), 505 [1] (Whoever makes, publishes or circulates any statement, rumour or report), 505 [2] (statements conducing to public mischief), the police said.
During probe it was also found that the channel did not have any requisite licence to operate, Krishna said.
An additional complaint over the illegal operation of the channel was made by district additional director, information, at Phase 3 police station following which an FIR under IPC sections 420 (fraud), 467 (forgery of documents) and related offences was registered, the officer said.
The channel's version was not immediately available.
Editors Guild condemns police action against journalists
The Editors Guild Sunday condemned the "arrest" of a journalist, and the editor and the head of a television channel over alleged objectionable content related to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, describing the police action as an "authoritarian misuse of laws" and an effort to intimidate the press.
An FIR was registered against Noida-based journalist Prashant Kanojia at Hazratganj police station in Lucknow on Friday night in which it was alleged that the accused made "objectionable comments against the CM and tried to malign his image".
Kanojia had shared a video on Twitter and Facebook where a woman is seen speaking to reporters of various media organisations outside the CM's office, claiming that she had sent a marriage proposal to Adityanath.
"The Editors Guild of India condemns the arrest of Noida-based journalist Prashant Kanojia and the editor and the head of a Noida-based television channel, Nation Live -- Ishita Singh and Anuj Shukla -- by the Uttar Pradesh government," the Guild said in a statement.
"Mr Kanojia has been accused of uploading a post on Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on social media and the Nation Live head and editor have been charged with having aired a video on the UP chief minister," it said.
"The police action is high-handed, arbitrary and amounts to an authoritarian misuse of laws," it added.
The Guild sees it as an effort to intimidate the press and stifle freedom of expression, the statement said.
