New Delhi: News Broadcasters Federation has strongly condemned the alleged brutal physical and psychological torture resulting in gross Human Rights violation meted out to Republic TV senior executive Ghanshyam Singh, during the custodial interrogation regarding the allegations of tampering with TRP, by the officials of the Greater Mumbai Police.
NBF in its recent announcement stated “We strongly urge the relevant authorities including the Greater Mumbai Police and the State Government of Maharashtra to look into this serious matter to take appropriate action and follow due process of law during the course of investigations and uphold the Right to Life and Dignity enshrined in the Constitution of India.
We also reiterate our demand for a national level neutral investigating agency to be immediately set up; And all cases against journalists, employees, and owners of news broadcasting companies to be transferred to the agency for free, unbiased, and fair investigations into any allegations of professional misconduct, to empower and ensure Freedom of Press and Journalistic Freedom in the country”.
NBF counts Dighvijay, DY365 News, First India Rajasthan, Gulistan News, IBC24, India News, JK 24X7, Living India News, News Live, News Nation, NewsX, North East Live, Odisha TV, Prag News, MH One News, PuthiyaThalaimurai TV, Republic Bharat, Republic TV, Newsfirst Kannada, S Newz, TV5, and TwentyFour News among its members.
Ghanshyam Singh, the Assistant Vice President, Distribution, Republic TV, was arrested by the Greater Mumbai Police on November 10, 2020, on charges of being allegedly involved in rigging TRPs and audience measurement. Later, he was released on bail on December 6, 2020, (after being in custody for 26 days)
In his interim application to the court, Ghanshyam has narrated incidences of extreme police custodial torture and serious threats to physically and psychologically break down, resulting in grievous violations of the procedure established by the law of the country, to self-incriminate and incriminate Republic TV in the TRPs scam.
