KOZHIKODE: Police officers ‘inspected’ a Malayalam TV channel Kozhikode office on Sunday as part of an inquiry into a complaint filed against the service that the channel had been broadcasting. A team of officers led by the Kozhikode City Criminal Branch ACP reached the office of Asian news in Kozhikode around 10:30 on Sunday.
The police inspection came later sf activists raided the channel’s Kochi office on March 3 and staged a protest at around 7:45 pm. They entered the office pushing the security personnel aside, put up a banner and raised slogans. Palarivattom Police had registered a case against 30 SFI activists in connection with the incident. Later on Saturday eight SFI activists were arrested in connection with the incident after they surrendered to police.
The Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) had condemned SFI’s act of halting the functioning of the channel. KUWJ he had staged protests in various locations across the state to register his protest. Furthermore, in a joint statement, Press Club of IndiaIWPC, DUJ and KUWJ condemned the SFI activists for their actions.
Left-wing (independent) MLA PV Anvar had raised an issue in the assembly and asked if the police had received complaints about a news series, “Narcotics is a Dirty Business”, broadcast by Asianet News.
In response, CM Pinarayi Vijayan said that a complaint had been received requiring action under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (Pocso) Act, alleging that an interview of a 14-year-old boy, broadcast by Asianet News as part of this series in November last year, was false. The CM said the police were investigating the same and a case was subsequently registered Vellayil Police.
Asianet News has taken a stand on whether this is a fabricated case. “Police are currently raiding the Asianet News Kozhikode office in a trumped-up case. This follows SFI’s disruptive activity in our Kochi office today. Attempts to intimidate us would fail. We are taking legal action and are with our team as it exposes every wrongdoing across the spectrum,” Asianet News Executive Chairman Rajesh Kalra said in a tweet on Sunday.
The police inspection came later sf activists raided the channel’s Kochi office on March 3 and staged a protest at around 7:45 pm. They entered the office pushing the security personnel aside, put up a banner and raised slogans. Palarivattom Police had registered a case against 30 SFI activists in connection with the incident. Later on Saturday eight SFI activists were arrested in connection with the incident after they surrendered to police.
The Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) had condemned SFI’s act of halting the functioning of the channel. KUWJ he had staged protests in various locations across the state to register his protest. Furthermore, in a joint statement, Press Club of IndiaIWPC, DUJ and KUWJ condemned the SFI activists for their actions.
Left-wing (independent) MLA PV Anvar had raised an issue in the assembly and asked if the police had received complaints about a news series, “Narcotics is a Dirty Business”, broadcast by Asianet News.
In response, CM Pinarayi Vijayan said that a complaint had been received requiring action under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (Pocso) Act, alleging that an interview of a 14-year-old boy, broadcast by Asianet News as part of this series in November last year, was false. The CM said the police were investigating the same and a case was subsequently registered Vellayil Police.
Asianet News has taken a stand on whether this is a fabricated case. “Police are currently raiding the Asianet News Kozhikode office in a trumped-up case. This follows SFI’s disruptive activity in our Kochi office today. Attempts to intimidate us would fail. We are taking legal action and are with our team as it exposes every wrongdoing across the spectrum,” Asianet News Executive Chairman Rajesh Kalra said in a tweet on Sunday.
