The probe into a complaint against Zee News editor-in-chief Sudhir Chaudhary for alleged communal remarks is being delayed due to the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown.
The case was registered at the Kozhikode Kasaba police station on March 24 based on a complaint by All India Youth Federation (AIYF) – the youth wing of the Communist Party of India - leader P Gavas.
Chaudhary has been slapped with IPC Section 295 A, which refers to “deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings or any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs.”
The complaint was filed against Chaudhary's March 11 prime time show, DNA, in which he showed a chart of various types of 'jihad' being practised by Muslims in India.
The chart apparently was lifted from a Facebook page 'Boycott Halal in India'. Posted on August 1, 2015, the chart shows 11 types of jihads under the broad categories of Hard Jihad and Soft Jihad.
The jihads mentioned in the chart include economic jihad, history jihad, media jihad, films and songs jihad and even secularism jihad, which is explained as taking support of leftists, communists and liberals.
Footage collection
Gavas filed the complaint with the Kozhikode police commissioner, who in turn forwarded it to the Kasaba station.
Gavas, in his complaint, said the show targetted the Muslim community with the intention of spreading communal hatred.
“We have registered a case based on the complaint. To proceed with the inquiry, we have to check the authenticity of the visuals first. For that, we have to collect the original footage from the channel's office. We will be sending a notice in this regard soon,” investigation officer Prasanth has told Onmanorama.
He said the probe could not move forward due to the COVID-19 situation and the lockdown in the country.
Gavas said he was promised by the police to proceed with the inquiry once the COVID-19 situation is under control.
Chaudhary, meanwhile, termed the police case as the 'Pultizer Prize for reporting the truth'. “(It's) the award for exposing inconvenient facts. A clear message for media. If you don't toe the decades-old pseudo-secular line you'll be behind bars,” he tweeted.
