Vinod Verma, a member of the Editors Guild of India, was arrested from his home near Delhi by the Chhattisgarh police based on charges of extortion, on Friday, 27 October. The senior journalist was arrested on charges of blackmailing a BJP minister Rajesh Munat of divulging a sex CD that features him.
Verma was nabbed at his residence in Ghaziabad by a police team from Raipur. The police team probed the allegations made against the BJP minister. After investigating the case, the police claim to have seized over 500 CDs, a laptop, and pen drives. The police said, the recovered objects will be produced before a Delhi court.
What message are they trying to send secretly? This CD is completely false and fabricated. The CD must be sent for forensic examination.Rajesh Munat, BJP leader
Reverting to the arrest, Vinod Verma said, “ I have a sex CD of a Chhattisgarh Minister. He is Rajesh Munat and that is why the Chattisgarh government is not happy with me”
Meanwhile, the arrest has led to vendetta politics with a BJP leader saying “According to our information, Vinod Verma was acting on the behest of Bhupesh Baghel from the Congress... This is a conspiracy hatched by Baghel and his men”
Journalists work to disseminate information among the masses. We would often invite Vinod Verma to several programmes. Recently, he orchestrated a social media training session for our workers. But, he’s not a Congress worker.Bhupesh Baghel, Congress leader
The arrest of the senior journalist has triggered a social media outrage with leaders across the political spectrum condemning the arrest and calling it an attack on the press.
BJP’s Rajesh Munat has been elected in three Assembly elections from the seat of West constituency in Raipur.
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