'Why?': Netizens astonished at Param Bir Singh's outlandish witch-hunt against Republic

Republic Media Network has been receiving whole-hearted support of netizens in the Mumbai Police’s witch-hunt against the network. With the Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh-led force now issuing a Section 91 notice, the brazen attack on press freedom was condemned by Twitteratti as well. As the force now sought the most trivial details, right from transactions to cost of tissue papers, netizens backed Republic.

READ: Now, Param Bir Wants Republic Camera Cost, Toilet Paper, Staff Names; The List Goes On

READ: Republic News Release: Mumbai Police Now Seeks Details Of Each Employee, Every Transaction

Netizens support Republic against Mumbai Police

Netizens had strong reactions, with one asking if the Mumbai Police had now taken the mantle of the Income-Tax department. Calling it ‘too much’, they asked why an honest journalist was being ‘bullied’ for stating the truth, and some even tagged Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Conspiracy against Republic 

In a recent development, Mumbai Police has taken an unbelievable line of questioning as they sought details of every transaction and detail of every journalist with the Network. The Mumbai Police has effectively sought costs of coffee vending machine, air-conditioning equipment, furniture, gardening, make up, suits and even hair brush, toilet paper, tissue papers, A4 paper and other stationery. Effectively even payments made to housekeeping staff have all been sought by Mumbai Police. Shockingly, the Mumbai Police wanted to furnish all these details in just 12 hours.

The witch-hunt followed an agonising ordeal that journalist Pradeep Bhandari was put through, the multiple round questioning of Executive Editor Niranjan Narayanaswamy, the summons to Senior Executive Editor Abhishek Kapoor, Republic Media Network's CEO, CFO and top distribution executives, for a total of more than 100 hours. Moreover, Param Bir Singh has brought in the Economics Offences Wing to probe Republic TV, which is also evident from the Section 91 notice.

Republic statement on Notice

Republic Media Network has now been issued a Section 91 notice by the Mumbai Police to submit details of every single transaction the organisation has entered into ever since its inception. As part of the ongoing witch-hunt against Republic Media Network by the Mumbai Police led by Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh, preposterous details of our financial, contractual and transaction details have been sought. 

The CFO of the Republic Media Network on 22 October 2020 was issued a notice under Section 91 of the CrPC whereby details of “valuation report”, “ledger copies”, “trade receivables”, “broadcasting expenses”, “employee benefit expenses”, “promotion expenses” amongst others have been sought. This effectively means from electricity bills to editing machine expenses, to details of provident funds of employees, to details of loans issued to employees for medical emergencies, to the cost of cameras, to cost of studio maintenance, to the cost of purchasing hand sanitizers, to carpeting costs in the office - every single ledger and expense detail has been sought. 

This is a brazen, blatant and shocking attack on press freedom. The Mumbai Police has effectively sought details of every single employee and every single journalist at the Republic Media Network. This an overt attempt to harass a news organisation, infringe on its operations, and bring back the Emergency-era way of functioning. There is a clear and motivated attempt by the Mumbai Police to target Republic Media Network which has been falsely named in the TRP scam case. 

Republic Media Network will stand tall amidst the pressure tactics. Republic Media Network will continue to put the news first, the truth first and the nation first. We shall fight every strong-arm tactic in the court of public opinion and the courts of law.

READ: NCP Adds Threat In First Reply After Stung MVA Minister Reveals Vile Plot Against Arnab

READ: As TRP Case Falls Flat, Param Bir Singh Brings In EOW To Probe Republic: Sources