BY HAND/POST/E-MAlL 20 October, 2020 To, The Honourable President of India President's Secretariat Rashtrapati Bhavan New Delhi 110 004 Re: Plea for justice and upholding the fundamental rights of media and press Your Excellency, Itis with great concern that | am writing this letter to you as | seek to draw your attention to the grave Emergency-style injustice and constant harassment being meted out to me personally and my news channels, Republic TV and Republic Bharat, purely out of malice, political whim and vendetta by the ‘Maharashtra Government. The continual malicious and vindictive nature in which the Maharashtra Government and administration is baselessly targeting my news organisation and me stands as an unfortunate example before the world of the state using its powers to attempt to crush fundamental rights and muzzle the voice of a fiercely free and independent media in the world’s Breatest and largest democracy. | will be truly grateful for your indulgence in this matter as I narrate the facts thus far. Republic TV and Republic Bharat are owned by ARG Outlier Media Pvt. Ltd ("ARG"). Wettelecast across the nation and also overseas in many jurisdictions. | am eternally grateful that with the support of my committed and hardworking team, we have since the launch of our English news channel in 2017, been undisputed No. 1 in terms of ratings. We launched our Hindi news channel, Republic Bharat, in 2019 and our ratings have since been increasing and the channel is widely acknowledged and followed. With the dedication of our news teams and the support of our viewers, Republic Bharat ‘most recently became India's Number 1 Hindi news channel. Hon'ble President, | have been a media journalist now for more than 20 years and have been at the forefront of many public campaigns, including the coveted 2G Scam, the Coalgate Scam, the Anna Movement, the Commonwealth Games Scam, the Muzaffarpur Shelter Home Case, the Lalitgate Scandal, recently the Palghar lynching case as well as the ongoing matter pertaining to the death of Late Sushant Singh Rajput. I respectfully submit that the role of the free media in matters of public importance is crucial in ensuring the delivery of justice. 1 have always believed that it is the ‘esponsibility of the free and independent media to be unwavered in its pursuit of the truth, for the people of india, at any cost. Every journalist in this country is entitled to Freedom of Speech and Expression as guaranteed by the reat Constitution of india, 1950 under Article 19(1)(a). We, as a news media house and journalists, follow ethical protocols of journalism and our investigative journalism has helped unearth various scams in the past and has helped various investigative agencies to reach at the bottom of complicated ‘cases. Our journalism has constantly been for the people of India and driven by the sole purpose to pursue the absolute truth on their behalf. itis rooted in the philosophy of nation first, and people first. However, in spite of our best efforts to represent true and correct facts to the citizens of this country, it is apparent from the below instances that the entire machinery of the State of REPUBLIC MEDIA NETWORK ARG Outlier Media Private Limited Registered Office: NBW Building, Bombay Dyeing Mill Compound, Pandurang Budhkar Marg, Worl, Mumbai - 400025. CIN No U74999MH2016PTC284365 Tel: 022 45121000 Website: www.republicworid.com [SEIcG] REPUBLICWORLD.COM [Fluid‘Maharashtra has been used against me, my company ARG and my employees, at the instance of Mr. Param Bir Singh, Commissioner of Police, Mumbai. Mr. Param Bir Singh harbors ill-will and malice ‘against my Network and me. I have stated brief facts that will put into context the history of the multifarious legal proceedings initiated against me/ Republic TV/Republic Bharat/ARG at the behest of the political dispensation in the State of Maharashtra, including the Mumbai Police. The narration of facts itself indicates that the State Government and Mr. Param Bir Singh have an organised agenda of malice against my news network and me, 1. Palghar lynching and Bandra gathering incidi In the pursuit of truth and justice for victims, | have been reporting on the heinous Palghar lynching incident wherein Hindu Sadhus were lynched to death by a mob in the presence of more than ten (10) Maharashtra Police personnel. The case was a brutal case of the police turning bystanders to an incident of lynching-unto-death and the proof of the complicity of the law and order officers were caught on a video tape that was accessed by my news network. It was incumbent upon me and my organisation to demand for accountability and justice for the three lives lost. Inupholding my duty as a journalist to demand accountability of those in power, | questioned {a5 to why the Congress President is silent on the lynching of Hindu Sadhus when her comments on similar incidents involving other communities has gained huge public furore. In fact, the Congress President has approached your esteemed offices in the past on similar incidents. Immediately, as a result of my questioning the Congress President on my channel, (a) my wife and | were subject to a brutal and murderous physical attack by Youth Congress members; and (b) multiple FiRs were filed against me in Congress-governed states. An FIR was also registered against me in relation to Republic Bharat broadcasts concerning the gathering ofa large crowd in Bandra, Mumbai amid the COVID-19 lockdown. | had no option but to approach the Hon'ble Supreme Court and the Hon'ble High Court of Bombay. | got relief from the Courts as all the FIRs were quashed and the only pending one was suspended as the court prima facie found no case. Notably, the Commissioner of Police, Mumbai Mr. Param Bir Singh took special interest in this case and the Mumbai police {Questioned my Chief Financial Officer Mr. S. Sundaram and me for more than 16 hours. The Questions were peculiarly focused on the revenues of my channels and the source of funding, ‘which are both a matter of public record and seemed unrelated to the apparent case at hand, 2. Sushant Singh Rajput case Recently, following the unfortunate death of Late Sushant Singh Rajput, our Network deployed its investigative teams to probe for the truth of the Incident. It gives me great pride that our teams were able to bring key evidence, witnesses and testimonies into the public domain before the people of India and indians across the globe, who continue to demand for justice and truth in this case. ‘As part of our campaign for justice, | questioned the conduct of the Mumbai Police, especially its Commissioner of Police Mr. Param Bir Singh since despite material on record and a complaint by the father of the deceased, no First Information Report ("FIR") was REPUBLIC MEDIA NETWORK ARG Outlior Media Private Limited Registered Office: NBW Building, Bombay Dyeing Mill Compound, Pandurang Budhkar Marg, Worl, Mumbai - 400025. CIN No U74999MH2016PTC284365 Tel: 022 45121000 Website: www.republicworld.com (AEIEG] REPUBLICWORLD.COM [Fluidregistered in clear defiance of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 and established protocols. | humbly submit that we were not alone in reporting on this matter and in the ‘course of the reporting, the matter was referred to the Central Bureau of Investigation ("CBI") Further, the Narcotics Control Bureau ("NCB") got involved to explore the drug nexus since in the course of the investigation, it was discovered that some members of the Bollywood fraternity were actively dealing with drugs and in fact, the NCB questioned some prominent Bollywood celebrities and made some arrests. Republic TV and Republic Bharat were reporting extensively and questioning the manner which the Mumbai Police, led by the Commissioner of Police Mr. Param Bir Singh, was conducting the investigation in the matter. Several loopholes in the investigation process by the Mumbai Police were reported by my channels and accountability was sought from the Mumbai Police, leading to the investigation in the matter being handed over to the CBI. In the midst of the campaign for justice for Late Sushant Singh Rajput, the law and order machinery in Maharashtra launched its vicious campaign against me and my team. 3. Artest of reporters of ARG The Maharashtra Police on 9 September 2020 arrested two reporters/journalists who were in the employment of ARG on false and malicious charges, to stall the reporters from Pursuing their investigative stories. The two reporters were following a journalistic lead in Karjat which was in the vicinity of the farmhouse belonging to the Hon‘ble Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Upon reaching the farmhouse and despite disclosing their identity, the reporters were on false grounds of house-trespass and criminal intimidation, remanded to police custody, thereby preventing the reporters from pursuing their leads. They were effectively restrained, for doing their professional duty as journalists, and blocked from pursuing leads in a story. Eventually, bal was granted to the reporters by the Courts after over 5 days in custody. ‘This act of the administration in Maharashtra was an outright attempt to clamp down on ‘media freedoms and sparked nationwide anger for its motive of restraining a free press. It ‘was part of an agenda by the state of Maharashtra to silence the voice of my media house. 4, Bfforts to ban our channels by Shiv Sena Within a day of placing our reporters under arrest, an outfit namely ‘Shiv Cable Sena' (an ‘outfit of one of the Ruling Parties Shiv Sena) issued a letter on 10 September 2020 to the cable operators across Maharashtra, with a threat-ridden direction to ban the telecast of ARG's ‘news channels. The said letter, which is an apt example of the highhandedness being meted ‘out by the political party in power in the State of Maharashtra, threatened consequences against cable operators across the State of Maharashtra if they did not comply with the directions of Shiv Cable Sena. This clearly indicates the malicious and deep political influence being exercised by the ruling party Shiv Sena to attempt to block my channels and my voice from reaching millions of homes in Maharashtra, This letter, which is in the public domain, serves as the ultimate attempt by the State to clampdown on media freedoms. Left with no recourse, we moved the Hon'ble Bombay High Court in a writ petition on 12, September 2020. The Hon'ble High Court observed that the letter of 10 September 2020 from REPUBLIC MEDIA NETWORK [ARG Outlier Media Private Limited Registered Office: NBW Building, Bombay Dyeing Mill Compound, Pandurang Budhkar Marg, Worl, Mumbai - 400025. CIN No U74989MH2016PTC284365 Tel: 022 45121000 Website: www.republicwortd.com [AIG] REPUBLICWORLD.comM [FluidShiv Cable Sena did not have any force of law and will not have any effect in my channels being aired on television. 5. Action by Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Right after getting relief from the Honourable High Court on the Shiv Cable Sena matter, on 16 September 2020, | received a show cause notice from the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly demanding a written explanation to show cause as to why an action for breach of privilege of the Hon'ble Chief Minister, other Ministers, Government and entire House, be not taken ogainst me for what they believe was maligning the Image of the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Maharashtra and other Ministers of the State of Maharashtra, and also for alleged violation of special/ extraordinary powers of the State Assembly. This show cause notice has been challenged by me before the Hon'ble Supreme Court of india Despite the matter being sub-judice, my office received a letter on 16 October 2020, at 2:50 pm. from the Assistant Secretary, Maharashtra Vidhan Mandal Sachivalaya asking me to be present before the Hon'ble Speaker at 3:00 p.m. on the same date. 10 minutes was not sufficient time for me to have reached the office of the Hon'ble Speaker. Moreover, the letter ‘was in Marathi and had to be translated into English for me to even appreciate the full import of the letter and seek views from my advisors. 6. Television Rating Points ("TRP") Scam ‘The Mumbai police is reportedly investigating the alleged role of certain news channels in connection with the FIR No. 843 of 2020 (registered in relation to an alleged fake TRP scam alleged to have been unearthed by the Mumbai police) registered on 6 October 2020. The FIR was registered on the basis of statements of Hansa Research Private Limited (Hansa). Hansa hhas entered into a contract with Broadcast Audience Research Council of india (BARC), which is a joint industry company founded by stakeholder bodies that represent Broadcasters, Advertisers, and Advertising and Media Agencies and measures TRPs. ‘The FIR No. 843 of 2020 does not name me, anyone from ARG, or any affiliate channel or platform of the Republic Media Network. The FIR names another prominent national news channel. However, Mr. Param Bir Singh, on 8 October, addressed a press conference singling ‘out Republic TV (and two other regional channels) as the main accused. Param Bir Singh ‘then went on to malign Republic's name baselessly in multiple interviews given to national broadcast media houses in Hindi and English. Curiously, he did not mention the actual channel which was named in the FIR in either his interviews or his news conference. Despite the fact that Republic Media Network was not named in any way inthe FIR, Param Bir Singh in his news conferences and public statements said, the third big identity that has come forward which is Republic tv, out of it the members who are involved with the manipulation {and criminal breach of trust and cheating an investigation is underway on them". He gave ‘multiple interviews on &th October, 2020 declaring, “Republic Channel is also indulging in this type of TRP manipulation.” There appears to have been an obvious motivated prejudging of the case and imputation of guilt to the Republic Media Network, which was not even named ‘once in the FIR in the said case. On the day of Param Bir Singh’s news conference, the content of the FIR was accessed by us and it was clear that my channels were not named in the FIR-- a truth we broke before the people of India on-air. Meanwhile, the Mumbai Police through Mr. Milind Bharambe, Joint REPUBLIC MEDIA NETWORK ARG Outlier Mecia Private Limited Registered Office: NBW Building, Bombay Dyeing Mill Compound, Pandurang Budhkar Marg, Worl, Mumbai - 400025, CIN No U74999MH2016PTC284965 Tel: 022 45121000 Website: ww.republicworld.com (SEInG] REPUBLICWORLD.COM [FluidCommissioner of Police, gave an interview to the same channel that was named in the FIR and, said that the Mumbai Police had not found any evidence against that channel, notably on the 2 day after registration of the FIR. A few arrests were made after 8 October and the remand. of one of them mentions that the other channel was allegedly involved Additionally, on 9 October 2020, through digital media reports, we came to know that BARC had imposed a penalty of Rs. 5 lakhs on the same very channel which was named in the FIR and which was given a highly publicized clean chit by the Mumbai Police, for TRP manipulation in July,2020. On 17 October 2020, we received an email from BARC which confirmed that ‘no proceedings had been initiated by BARC on Republic TV. {In fact, on 19 October 2020, the lawyer for the Mumbai Police and Maharashtra Government told the Bombay High Court that the matter was still “premature” and admitted that Republic was not mentioned in the FIR of the TRP case. This thereby makes it crystal clear that the Police Commissioner of Mumbai, Mr Param Bir Singh, was pursuing a motivated and baseless agenda of spreading falsehoods regarding my news network. {1am given to understand that while the Mumbai Police issued 7 summons in a span of 2 days and questioned various employees, including senior members, of my channels for investigation (which have lasted for unreasonably long hours), the Mumbai Police has not ‘summoned anyone significant from the other channel which is named in the FIR. It is pertinent to note that despite the fact that neither me nor any of the officers of ARG hhave been named in this FIR, the Mumbai Police has been singling me and my channel out for this unjustified and arbitrary treatment under the garb of investigations, seemingly at the whims of the Commissioner of Police to force us into submission. 7. Pradeep Bhandari Case On 9 September 2020, Pradeep Bhandari, Consulting Editor, reporter and employee of ARG, was summoned before the Mumbai Police for inquiry, in connection to the demolition of Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut's office in Mumbai. The allegation was that the news reporter had pushed a police personnel, and had paid bribes land was provoking the crowd gathered outside Kangana Ranaut's office, to shout slogans ‘against the police personnel, to deter the police from conducting his duty. The news reporter, being innocent in the matter, apprehended that he will be arrested and filed an anticipatory bail application in the Sessions Court at Mumbai. The Court observed that custodial interrogation was not required in the matter and therefore anticipatory ball was granted to Pradeep Bhandari. Despite Pradeep Bhandar’s full cooperation in the investigation, the Mumbai police seized his phones on 17 October against his will without there being any suspicious circumstances as to the commission of any offences by him. Pradeep Bhandari was put through an interrogation environment in a police station for over 6 hours. He was put through rigorous questioning simply because he was exercising his right to report and calling out questionable action by the state machinery in the process to do so. The action against our consulting editor is a part of a growing trend to browbeat reporters and journalists of the Republic Media Network by the Maharashtra Government. REPUBLIC MEDIA NETWORK [ARG Outlier Media Private Limited Registered Office: NBW Building, Bombay Dyeing Mill Compound, Pandurang Budhkar Marg, Worll, Mumbai - 400025. CIN No U74999MH2016PTC284365 Tel: 022 45121000 Website: www.republicworld.com GAEIgG] REPUBLICWORLD.COM [Fluid8 Other cases Beyond the outright witch-hunt of Republic Media Network, the Maharashtra Government is steadily becoming a crusader for the erosion of fundamental rights and free speech. There are several instances wherein any criticism, howsoever insignificant, on social media of the State Government or members of the ruling party are subject to drastic measures by the police ‘or the members of the Shiv Sena. Honourable President, | submit a few examples for your reference: > Recently, a retired naval officer was beaten by Shiv Sena party workers for his ‘comments on facebook on 11 September, 2020. The chilling visuals ofthe officer aired ‘across news channels and invited nationwide anger. Most shockingly, parliamentarian Sanjay Raut of the ruling Shiv Sena defended the violent incident saying, “If you are a citizen and defame the Chief Minister, then people will get enraged. If such things are told, then attacks can happen - be it you or me.”. > InSeptember 2020, the Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamna proudly declared “Ukhad Diya” meaning “Uprooted” after demolishing an office built with hard work, and vision by Kangana Ranaut. This happened despite Bombay High Court orders to the contrary. > In August 2020, a 38 year old woman was arrested on allegations that she made offensive comments against the Chief Minister and his son on social media platform Twitter. > In December 2019, a Shiv Sena worker allegedly threw Ink on a man who had reportedly criticised Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on social media, ‘Asa responsible media, it is our duty to speak truth to power and stand against such incidents of ‘muzzling the voice of the people of India, and we have done so fearlessly and will continue to do so. However, Honourable President, it must be mentioned that any criticism of the State Government and its coalition partners, is hunted down with deep vindictiveness by the state government and the administration in Maharashtra. | suspect the Government of Maharashtra, its machinery and the ruling party in the state, will ‘continue to do everything in its power to try and harm me and my channels’ interests on frivolous, instantiated and baseless grounds. Hon'ble President, | humbly submit that the above instances clearly demonstrate that the current government in the State of Maharashtra, through various means, including the Mumbai Police and the Shiv Sena, has been wreaking vengeance against me, ARG and my channels on account of personal ‘animosity against me, merely because we, as journalists, are doing our duty and posing important {questions on matters of public importance. It is but clear that the above actions are well-planned and orchestrated to prevent me and my channels from carrying out our journalistic duties in exercise of my fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression and freedom of press covered under Article 19(2)(a) of the Constitution of India. in these circumstances, ARG, its news channels (Republic TV and Republic Bharat) and Icannot expect just or fair treatment from the political dispensation in Maharashtra and its ager Including the Maharashtra police. REPUBLIC MEDIA NETWORK ARG Outlier Mecia Private Limited Rogistored Office: NBW Building, Bombay Dying Mill Compound, Pandurang Buchkar Marg, Wortl, Mumbai - 400025, CIN No U74999MH2016PTC284365 Tel: 022 45121000 Website: wrw.republicworld.com (2EIKG] REPUBLICWORLD.COM [Fluid‘The media is the fourth pillar of our democracy and all attempts to silence the media and press must be circumscribed and dealt with with a firm hand. It is evident from the above, that the witchunt being undertaken by the Mumbai Police is clearly an attempt to muzzle the media and silence the ‘news reporting by me and my team. Honourable President, the sanctity of the free press and the purity of Fundamental Rights in this ‘great democracy are now at stake in Maharashtra. Your Excellency, being the First Citizen of India, you hold the necessary powers to protect my fundamental rights and protect the sanctity of the fourth pillar of our democracy. All attempts are being made to curtail the freedom of the press which is fearlessly reporting on facts and bringing before the public the ambiguities in the investigations conducted by the police in Maharashtra in various cases. If such repeated and frivolous infractions are not stopped, it shall have a chilling effect fn the freedom of the press in the country. Given the arbitrary and manner in which the State Government and the Maharashtra Police have been conducting themselves, itis an indication that the State of Maharashtra is in a state of emergency. ‘Therefore, I seek your kind attention, intervention and indulgence to look into the above matter, in ‘order to provide justice and uphold the robust fundamental rights of the media and press in our great country. The democratic ethos of a free press, the right to free speech, the pursuit to persistently put nation first, the need to put Constitution first, and the fundamental right of the Public of India to know, are at stake given the gross, vindictive and malicious targeting of our network in the state of Maharashtra today. | request your Excellency to advise the appropriate authorities, including the Ministry of Home Affairs to look into this matter and ensure that the emergency style functioning of the State Government and the Commissioner of Police, Mumbal is checked. Honourable President, we thank you for taking the time to entertain this matter and using your esteemed position to protect not just the right ofa free press in this country but also the fundamental freedoms enshrined in the Constitution of India, Yours faithfully, La ‘Arab Ranjan Goswami Editor-in-Chief and Managing Director, Republic Media Network REPUBLIC MEDIA NETWORK ARG Outlier Media Private Limited Rogistered Orfice: NBW Building, Bombay Dyeing Mill Compound, Pandurang Budhkar Marg, Worl, Mumbai - 400025 CIN No U74999MH2016PTC284365 Tel: 022 45121000 Website: www.republicworid.com (SEIEG] REPUBLICWORLD.COM [AFluid