Kerala Police raids Kozhikode office of Asianet channel for running ‘fake news’
1 min read 05 Mar 2023, 07:48 PM ISTThe following development arrived after the channel telecasted a report titled 'Narcotics is a dirty business ' on 10 November, 2022, based on which the MLA filed a compliant alleging the report is fabricated.
PremiumThe Crime Branch of Kerala Police on 5 March searched the offices of the Asianet news channel in Kerala's Kozhikode based on a complaint by left independent MLA PV Anvar.
The following development arrived after the channel telecasted a report titled 'Narcotics is a dirty business' on 10 November, 2022, based on which the MLA filed a compliant alleging the report is fabricated and submitted a written complaint to DGP.
The state police registered a case making four people from Asianet accused.
Earlier on 3 March, student wing of the state's ruling party – SFI – barged into the Asianet office in Kochi alleging the channel and reportedly threatened the staff over the news report telecast on the sexual assault of schoolgirls in the state.
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Police registered a case around 30 activists of the SFI after a complaint lodged by the TV channel.
In the complaint, the TV channel alleged that the SFI activists reportedly entered the office around 8 pm, raised slogans, pushed the security staff and intimidated its employees.
Meanwhile, SFI activists claims they only protested against the TV channel for allegedly creating 'fake news' using a minor girl about the alleged sexual assault of over 10 girl students at a school in northern Kerala.
The Press Club of India criticised the SFI action and requested the Kerala government to launch an investigation into the incident.
"We express concern and lodge our protest over SFI activists reportedly entering the @AsianetNewsML office in Ernakulam and intimidating the staff. These strong-arm tactics have no place in a democracy. The Kerala government should probe this incident swiftly," the Press Club of India said in a tweet on Friday.
With agency inputs.
