The Congress, on Monday, 4 July, filed a complaint with the News Broadcasting and Digital Standards Authority (NBDA) against Zee News and its anchor Rohit Ranjan, for airing misleading clips about Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
Congress communication department head Pawan Khera flagged the broadcast by the news channel as "illegal, unethical and malicious" in a letter to the Authority chairman.
"The impugned news broadcast by Zee News had sought to falsely and maliciously suggest that former INC President Rahul Gandhi demonstrated sympathy for the killers of Kanhaiya Lal (tailor killed in Udaipur) by calling them 'children' and saying (they) have acted in an irresponsible way," Khera said.
Khera further pointed out that it was only Zee and its anchor that chose to give the clip "this distorted and malicious interpretation".
He added that the broadcast was taken down only after "numerous complaints by the party".
"The news channel and the broadcast have clearly and admittedly violated the provisions of (1) the Cable Television Network Regulation Act, 1995; (2) Cable Television Network Rules, 1994; (3) the Code of Ethics & Broadcasting Standards," he said.
The Congress has alleged that Gandhi's comments about the vandalism of his office in Wayanad were falsely inked to the Udaipur murder.
Rajan, however, had subsequently corrected himself on television and apologised about the incident.
SC To Hear Ranjan's Case
Ranjan, who is now out on bail, was arrested by the UP Police on 5 July following a custody scuffle between personnel from the Adityanath-led state and the Chattisgarh police. Cases were registered against him in Chhatisgarh and Rajasthan.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Wednesday, 6 July, listed his case for hearing on 7 July.
The Gautam Buddh Nagar Police media cell said that following the interrogation, Ranjan was arrested on the basis of evidence but released on bail as the sections against him are bailable offences.
On the basis of a complaint filed by Congress MLA Devendra Yadav at Raipur's Civil Lines police station, Ranjan has been booked under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, including Section 153-A (Promoting Enmity on Grounds of Religion or Race), Section 295-A (Malicious Acts Intending to Hurt Religious Beliefs), Section 504 (Intentional Insult), and Section 505 (1)(b) (Intent to Cause Fear or Alarm to Public).
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)