Will join probe within 96 hours, Subhash Chandra tells police

New Delhi, Dec 3 (IANS) Zee Group chairman Subhash Chandra Monday assured the Delhi Police he would to join within 96 hours the probe into the alleged extortion bid by two senior editors of his channel.

Zee News advocate R.K. Handoo told IANS that he has submitted a letter to Deli Police on behalf of Subhash Chandra seeking 96 hours time to join investigation.

Delhi Police had twice served notice to Chandra last month asking him to join investigations after the arrest of Zee editors Sudhir Chaudhury and Samir Ahluwalia for their alleged extortion bid of Rs.100 crore from Congress MP Naveen Jindal’s company for not airing news damaging to it.

“Chandra will join the interrogation to suppress public “misimpression” that he is deliberately not joining investigations,” said Handoo.

Terming the campaign as “vicious”, “malafide” and “unwarranted”, the letter said Chandra has informed police Nov 27 that he went ahead with his “pre-scheduled” meetings and engagements in India and abroad.

The letter also noted that as chairman of Essel Group, he has his meetings planned nearly two months in advance and any abrupt change not only affects the schedule of other businesses but also brings disrepute to him.

“That is why to honour his commitments in India and abroad, my client had well in advance and before your arrest action, requested you to adjourn the matter till his return from overseas.

“… because of the distorted campaign unleashed by vested interests, he is prepared to reschedule and cut short his overseas engagements and shall come to India only to join the investigations at your convenience forthwith,” the lawyer said in the letter.

Investigators have told a local court earlier that they were treating him as an accused as he knew about the dealings between his employees and Congress MP Naveen Jindal’s company.

Zee Group has denied the allegations and demanded the immediate release of its two senior journalists, alleging that the police action was “illegal” and “designed for something else”.

IANS 2012-12-03 21:28:12