Republic TV on Sunday said it will not succumb to any efforts to curtail editorial freedom, after its CEO and COO were questioned by the Mumbai police in connection with a Television Rating Points (TRP) manipulation investigation.
The two senior officials of the private channel appeared before the police on Sunday, an official said.
“If there is an attempt to use state machinery to scrutinise the sources of an independent media network and bring back an Emergency-style editorial control into the media, we will stand strongly against it,” Republic TV said.
The police had issued summons to Republic TV’s chief executive officer (CEO) Vikas Khanchandani and two chief operating officers (COO).
Mr. Khanchandani and COO Harsh Bhandari, who appeared before the police on Sunday, were questioned for nine and five hours, respectively, the police said. They also recorded the statement of Ghanshyam Singh, a senior member of the channel’s distribution team.
From other channels
Two employees of Box Cinema and Fakt Marathi channels were also summoned by the crime branch of the Mumbai police.
In a statement, Republic Media Network said it won’t “give in to any endeavours” to curtail editorial freedom. It also alleged that the Mumbai police seemed to be turning freedom of the press “upside down and we stand firmly against any such attempts”.
