A day after the CBI's searches, the NDTV in a statement said the searches on offices and residence of its promoters were conducted without a preliminary enquiry even as various press bodies termed the move as an attempt to either 'intimidate the media' or put curbs on its freedom.
"This is a blatant political attack on the freedom of the press as sources confirm that under pressure, the CBI has been compelled to file an FIR based on a shoddy complaint by a disgruntled former consultant at NDTV called Sanjay Dutt, who has been making false allegations and filing cases in courts of law with these false allegations. So far, he has not obtained a single order from any of these courts. legal analysts are astounded that where courts have rejected giving any order in all these years, the CBI conducts raids based on what is a private complaint," the NDTV said in an updated statement.
It also clarified that the allegation was for a loan which has been repaid by Prannoy Roy and Radhika Roy more than seven years ago. "Even though lakhs and crores of rupees of dues have not been paid by several industrialists and no criminal case has yet been registered against any of them by the CBI, the CBI has chosen not only to register an FIR, but also conduct a search for a loan which has been duly repaid to ICICI Bank. Moreover, ICICI is a private bank," the channel said.
It added that the allegation over NDTV that no disclosure was made to SEBI and other regulatory authorities was not only false but also does not clothe the CBI with any power to register cases and search which further amplifies the fact that the search by the CBI is only a witch-hunt against independent media.
"NDTV and its promoters have never defaulted on any loan to ICICI or any other bank. We adhere to the highest levels of integrity and independence. It is clearly the independence and fearlessness of NDTV's team that the ruling party's politicians cannot stomach and the CBI raid is merely another attempt at silencing the media. No matter how much the politicians attack us — We will not give up the fight for freedom and the independence of media in India," the channel said.
Journalists came out in support of NDTV in a protest march in Bengaluru while the Press Club of India, Indian Women's Corps, Kashmir Editors Guild and All India Newspaper Editor's Conference condemned the action.
"While we maintain that all individuals and every institution has to abide by the law of the land, we condemn any attempt to either intimidate the media or put curbs on its freedom," President of the Press Club, Gautam lahiri said. In a strongly-worded statement, the umbrella press body also said, "We hope that all facts of the case, filed by the CBI, will be placed in public domain and the investigating agency will not harass the media organisation or place any kind of hindrance in the news operations of the channel."
The IWPC alleged that the law of the land should not "apply selectively" nor should it be "used as an instrument to harass anyone including the media". Condemning the raids, All India Newspaper Editor's Conference alleged it was clearly a "case of attack on freedom of the press" while the Kashmir Editors Guild (KEG) said it was a "muscular manifestation" of muzzling the independent media.
left parties and the Congress also came out in support of NDTV.