Naidu denies witch-hunt in CBI raids on NDTV founder

Information and Broadcasting Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu Monday on rubbished allegations of witch-hunt by the NDTV news channel after the CBI raided its founder Prannoy Roy's premises in connection with a bank default case, saying the law was taking its own course.

"Law is taking its own course and there is no witch hunt against anyone at all as this government does not believe in interfering," Naidu told reporters here.

"They (CBI) must have got some information and that's why they might have taken these steps," the Information and Broadcasting Minister said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader also said the government won't remain silent if anyone does wrong.

"If somebody does something wrong simply because they belong to media, you cannot expect the government to keep quiet," Naidu said.

Naidu's remarks came after the investigative agency raided the premises of NDTV's founder in an alleged bank loan default case.

Following the CBI raids, the NDTV in a strongly-worded statement said the raids were a "concerted harassment" to muzzle free speech.

The CBI registered the case against Roy, his wife Radhika Roy, a private company named RRPR Holdings and others and conducted searches at the Roy's Greater Kailash-I residence in south Delhi and three other places in Dehradun.

According to CBI officials, the agency has registered a case against Roy, his wife and RRPR Holdings for allegedly causing losses to the tune of Rs 48 crore to ICICI Bank.

The CBI raids come days after NDTV anchor Nidhi Razdan had an on-air verbal scuffle with BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra, after he alleged the news network was following an "agenda", during a debate over the new central notification on cow trade and slaughter. The BJP leader was told to leave the programme.

--IANS

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