Just two days after goons of the Students Federation of India (SFI) barged into the office of media house Asianet News in Kochi and threatened the employees, Kerala Police today raided the office of the media house in Kozhikode. The raid was conducted on the basis of a complaint filed by CPI(M)-backed Left Independent MLA P V Anwar.
According to Asianet, a police team headed by District Crime Branch Assistant Commissioner V Suresh conducted a search at the channel’s office in Kozhikode. Vellayil Circle Inspector Baburaj, Nadakaavu Circle Inspector Jijeesh, Town Sub-Inspector V Jibin, ASI Deepakumar, CPOs Deepu P, Aneesh and Sajitha C, Cyber Cell Officer Bijith LA, Tehsildar C Sreekumar and Puthyangadi Village Officer Sajan came to the Asianet News Kozhikode office for inspection. Kozhikode Land Revenue Tehsildar C Sreekumar was also in the team.
The police had no search warrant, and the Assistant Commissioner told the journalists of the media house that they were using special powers of the police for the raid. The police conducted searches at the news desk and video editing desk, and noted the addresses and phone numbers of journalists and staff members of the channel.
Days after SFI hooliganism, Kerala Police conducts 'search' at Asianet News Kozhikode office
— Asianet Newsable (@AsianetNewsEN) March 5, 2023
Regardless, Asianet News continues to report, true to its motto: Straight. Bold. Relentless. #AttackOnMedia #PressFreedom #AsianetNewsAttacked pic.twitter.com/sr5ebAENPL
MLA P V Anwar has accused Asianet of airing fake news, regarding the channel’s report on drug abuse and sexual exploitation of minors in Kerala. The CPI(M) has been at loggerhead with Asianet News for a while now, over a report broadcast by the channel on 10 November 2022.
In its ‘Narcotics is a dirty business’ series on the drug issue in the state, the channel had reported the sexual assault on over ten minor girls. The channel had aired the interview of a girl in this context. However, the CPI(M) has been saying that it is fake news, and no such incident took place.
The channel has been under attack from the Pinarayi Vijayan government for a long time now, as it has exposed several scams and failures of the state government, including the nexus between the govt and Swapna Suresh, the prime accused in the gold smuggling case.
Asianet News Executive chairman Rajesh Kalra said on Twitter, “Police is currently raiding #AsianetNews office in Kozhikode in a fabricated case. This follows SFI’s disruptive activity at our Kochi office y’day. Attempt to browbeat us wud fail. We’re taking legal action & stand with our team as it exposes every wrongdoing across the spectrum.”
Police is currently raiding #AsianetNews office in Kozhikode in a fabricated case. This follows SFI’s disruptive activity at our Kochi office y’day. Attempt to browbeat us wud fail.We’re taking legal action & stand with our team as it exposes every wrong doing across the spectrum pic.twitter.com/V71GkVNmWD
— Rajesh Kalra (@rajeshkalra) March 5, 2023
He said that the attempts to browbeat will not be successful, and Asianet will take legal action against it. Rajesh Kalra further said that there were earlier attempts to silence the media in Kerala and that those in power were trying to repeat that but it won’t succeed in such tactics against the media.
The police raid on the channel’s Kozhikode office came after several members of the SFI, the student wing of the CPI(M), entered the channels office in Ernakulam on Friday and abused staff members. A group of roughly 30 SFI members entered the Asianet News regional headquarters, forced their way past security guards, and interfered in press operations by yelling slogans and also threatening the staff members and journalists.
The were protesting against the alleged fake news by the channel. The SFI members also tied a derogatory banner in front of the Asianet News headquarters before the Kerala police arrived. The banner said, “this institution is a disgrace to the culture of Kerala”.
The SFI members were booked by police after Asianet News resident editor Abhilash G. Nair filed a complaint. The channel also produced CCTV footages which show the SFI members creating a chaos, threatening employees after entering the office by outnumbering security guards.
