BJD MP Chandrani Murmu.
Towards the backdrop of BJP vice-president Baijayant Jay Panda alleging an assault on freedom of expression after Odisha police questioned a reporter of OTV, a channel owned by his household, BJD MP Chandrani Murmu has justified the police motion.
The journalist, Ramesh Rath, was questioned and his cell phone seized in reference to a case associated to the alleged circulation of a morphed video of Murmu when she was contesting the overall election.
In a video message, the tribal MP from Keonjhar mentioned, “I’m an single tribal woman and the youngest MP in India who has been mentally harassed and tortured by OTV reporters and others who viraled a morphed, obscene video of mine, with the malicious intent to defame, harass and mentally torture me.”
Accusing Panda of interfering within the police investigation, Murmu mentioned, “After this tragic incident, the police throughout investigation arrested a junior reporter of OTV together with others. The OTV junior reporter named Ramesh Rath because the perpetrator of the crime. However when the police questioned the perpetrator of the crime OTV reporter Ramesh Rath yesterday (October 15), OTV and their homeowners Jagi Panda and Jay Panda try to avoid wasting him by claiming that that is an assault on OTV and its journalists by the federal government.”
Panda had earlier alleged that the police motion was prompted by a information report in opposition to the federal government. In a collection of tweets he had said, “Severe allegations by activists (with RTI accessed aviation paperwork) that Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik faked an August 31 helicopter aerial survey of flooded districts…. Reporter who broke information…arrested…”
In an official assertion, Odisha police have denied the allegations and mentioned their probe is reliable. “Police arrested three individuals together with OTV reporter Simanchal Patra… Simanchal Patra has said that it was below directions of his then boss Mr Ramesh Rath that he forwarded the obscene video.”
📣 The Indian Specific is now on Telegram. Click on here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and keep up to date with the most recent headlines
For all the most recent India News, obtain Indian Express App.