On 10th June, Noida police arrested two journalists, Shazia Nisar, a former anchor of Bharat24, and Adarsh Jha, a digital journalist, for allegedly blackmailing the channel’s 75-year-old CMD Jagdish Chandra and extorting over Rs 2.26 crore from him. Nisar allegedly demanded Rs 65 crore through threats of a false rape case.
Channel owner alleges threats and extortion
According to Noida Police, the FIR was lodged by Jagdish Chandra, who is also the Chief Editor and CEO of Bharat24. In his complaint, Chandra stated that Shazia Nisar had been working with the channel since 2022. She allegedly threatened to falsely implicate him in a rape case and commit suicide unless he paid Rs 65 crore. Over the past year, Rs 2.26 crore was paid to her via cheques, Chandra alleged, and he had recordings and evidence to support this.
According to the Indian Express, the FIR read, “Shazia Nisar, 30, has been working as an anchor in my channel since 2022. She has been blackmailing me by threatening to implicate me in a false rape case and commit suicide. She has been illegally demanding Rs 60 crore from me. In the last year, she has taken Rs 2 crore 26 lakh through cheques several times. I have evidence of this (transaction). Adarsh Jha… is helping her blackmail me.”
The FIR also named Adarsh Jha, a journalist formerly associated with a digital news portal, as an accomplice in the blackmail. Police said the duo jointly attempted to extort Rs 65 crore in total. The complaint was filed on 8th June.
Speaking to media, SHO Amit Kumar said, “When asked about the money in her account, she (Nisar) did not have a proper explanation for it… it was a compensation, she told us.”
More complaints from channel staff
Two additional complaints were filed against the accused by Bharat24’s consulting editor Anita Hada and HR head Anushri Dhar. Hada dismissed Nisar’s allegations of harassment and said, “Had that been the case, she would have filed a complaint. I would have supported her.”
Speaking to the media on the question of why the company paid Nisar instead of going to the police earlier, Hada said, “We were worried about the company’s reputation being damaged.”
Raids and recoveries
Following the FIRs, Noida Sector 58 police raided Nisar’s residence in Delhi and seized Rs 34.5 lakh in cash, three mobile phones, two laptops, and a Scorpio vehicle. Simultaneously, a raid was conducted at Jha’s residence in Indirapuram, Ghaziabad, where he was arrested. Both of them were produced before the Gautam Buddha Nagar District Court and sent to 15-day judicial custody.
Nisar’s mother also named in FIR
Police confirmed that Nisar’s mother was also named in one of the FIRs for her alleged role in the racket. However, she has not been arrested yet. Station House Officer Amit Kumar of Sector 58 police station said investigations are underway.
The police are investigating whether others were involved in this alleged blackmail syndicate.
