'British-era actions against Republic fatal for media': Industry leader Jawahar Goel

Dish TV Chairman & Managing Director Jawahar Goel on Friday condemned the ongoing witchhunt against Republic Media Network and its journalists by the Mumbai Police. 

Reacting to the second wave of attacks against the network, wherein the Mumbai police sought details of the Republic news desk, Jawahar Goel, who had earlier been appointed Editor-in-Chief of Zee Media, said that such actions under the codes of British era will be fatal for media. He asked people not to be mute spectators of the atrocities carried out by the Mumbai police against Republic TV. 

"A news channel is licensed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of India, while the print media is verified by the magistrate. Taking action under the code established by the British on Republic Media Network by the Mumbai Police will be fatal for the media. Do not be a spectator," he said in a tweet, roughly translated from Hindi.  

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Mumbai police launches a second wave of attack on Republic

In the latest shocking chapter in the atrocious witch-hunt against Republic Media Network, the Param Bir Singh-led Mumbai Police has now sent a notice effectively seeking each and every detail of the Republic news desk, including addresses of the technicians of Republic TV, IDs and passwords of newsroom software, roster details of its journalists, and has given a time period of two days to furnish this, in a shameful trespass of free speech.

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The details sought include copies of the mail of the news desk's personnel schedules, roles and responsibilities of every person on the Republic TV Output desk, contact numbers and addresses of Output desk journalists, shift-in-charges of the desk, printouts of anchor link scripts of the day Republic aired its report that has garnered the Mumbai Police's consternation, details of the iNews news software rundown between 7 pm and 10 pm that day, all user login activity on news from 7 pm to 10 pm. The notice by Mumbai Police, under 65 (d) of the Indian evidence act demands the name, designation, contact, and address of the technician who is aware of iNews.

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Mumbai Police’s witch-hunt against Republic

Despite being called out nationally and also now globally over its witch-hunt, Mumbai Police has so far questioned Republic’s Deputy Editor Shawan Sen, Executive Editor Niranjan Narayanaswamy, Output Editor Sagarika Mitra and Shivani Gupta, as well as top members of Republic Media Network's management staff. They were questioned on the story about Mumbai Police officers being unhappy with commissioner Param Bir Singh and the alleged TRP case. The journalists maintained that they won’t reveal their sources.

Apart from that Mumbai Police effectively sought details of every financial transaction the company has engaged in since its inception after sending a notice under section 91. These effectively include trivial details such as the cost of microwaves and cutlery in the pantry. This was followed by an FIR against the entire editorial team of Republic Media Network, that sent shockwaves across the nation. 

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