Again, Mumbai Police book Republic, channel says it’s a witch-hunt

Mumbai Police Friday booked the executive editor, an anchor, two reporters and other editorial staff of Republic Media Network for broadcasting alleged defamatory news content against the police department.

Police said Republic channel aired news that would incite disaffection among police personnel against Commissioner of Police Param Bir Singh. The channel, police said, claimed Mumbai police personnel were rebelling against Param Bir Singh, and that his orders were not acceptable to them.

The channel, in a statement, said the “booking of all journalists of a news media organisation, left unchecked, will have a chilling effect on democracy, especially within the state of Maharashtra”.