Another FIR has been registered against Republic TV anchors and their editorial team for allegedly committing offenses amounting to incitement to disaffection among members of the Mumbai Police Force.
The FIR was registered at NM Joshi Marg police station, Mumbai under Section 3(1) of the Police (Incitement to Disaffection) Act, 1922 read with Section 34 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code, for allegedly defaming the Mumbai police in the channel’s news story reporting alleged ‘revolt brewing against Mumbai Police Commissioner Parambir Singh’.
The FIR has reportedly named the anchor and deputy news editor Shivani Gupta, anchor, and senior associate editor Sagarika Mitra, deputy editor Shawan Sen and executive editor Niranjan Narayanswami.
As per sources, the channel has aired a report on Thursday between 7.00 pm to 7.10 pm about a ‘revolt’ against Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh by senior police officers, the FIR said, claiming that this amounted to incitement to disaffection among members of the police force and defamation of the force.
Meanwhile, the channel took to Twitter responding to the above FIR, citing it to be a shocking assault on media rights. “In a brazen, blatant and shocking attack on press freedom by Mumbai Police, Republic Media Network has been issued notice to submit details of every transaction since inception and list every single journalist and employee. We will fight each and every strong-arm tactic,” tweeted the channel. “This is happening for the first time in the world, the Mumbai Police Commissioner is not above the Constitution and the law,” they added.
On the other hand, Arnab Goswami is already facing two FIRs at the Pydhonie police station and NM Joshi Marg police station for inciting communal tension and spreading hatred between two communities.
