Trouble seems to be mounting for NDTV as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducts search operation at NDTV’s former CEO Vikram Chandra house. Vikram Chandra along with NDTV founders, Prannoy Roy and Radhika Roy have been charged in a case related to money laundering. CBI alleged that the accused violated Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) rules.
CBI says its teams are conducting searches at the premises of Vikramaditya Chandra, CEO and director of M/S NDTV Ltd. Raid conducted after registration of a fresh FIR against NDTV promoters and Chandra in case of alleged money laundering.
— Raj Shekhar Jha (@rajshekharTOI) August 21, 2019
This development comes soon after CBI filed a new FIR on Wednesday against NDTV and its founders, Prannoy Roy and Radhika Roy, apart from former CEO Vikram Chandra and unknown public servants for alleged criminal conspiracy, cheating and corruption in a case of an alleged violation of FDI norms.
According to the FIR, accessed by OpIndia.com, it is a case of tax evasion and how certain income tax officers colluded with them to help them evade justice.
It is further alleged that the accused floated subsidiaries in tax haven destinations to route foreign funds to India through sham transactions. It is also alleged that the proceeds of corruption of unknown public servants were invested in NDTV.
The news channel has now issued a statement over it. In its statement, NDTV has again claimed that it is an attack on press freedom and called the charges “fabricated”. NDTV also claimed that investigative agencies have not found any evidence of corruption against them.
NDTV founders Prannoy Roy and his wife, Radhika Roy, were earlier prevented from leaving the country recently, the channel claims. In a statement published on its website, the channel has called it a ‘subversion of media freedom’.
While NDTV cries hoarse about ‘freedom of the press’ being curbed, the allegations of financial impropriety against Prannoy Roy and Radhika Roy, the promoters of NDTV are extremely grave. More importantly, judicial bodies and statutory investigation agencies have found them in violation of major laws and in some cases held them guilty of fraud, manipulation and use of “deceptive financial instruments” to hide real ownership of NDTV. The full details of the NDTV-ICICI case can be read here.
