Kozhikode: Kerala police have conducted a “search” at the office of Asianet News, a Malayalam news channel, in connection with a case on Sunday. The senior officer leading the team that arrived at the Kozhikode office of the news channel stated that the search was part of the investigation.
Reports suggest that the case registered by police is based on a complaint lodged by a politician alleging that an interview conducted by the channel with a schoolgirl, who was allegedly forced to work as a drug courier, was fake news.
Asianet News condemned the search on Twitter, stating that it continues to report true to its motto “Straight. Bold. Relentless” despite the search.
The search comes after a group of SFI activists trespassed into the Kochi office of the news channel and intimidated staff.
The Congress and BJP in Kerala have condemned the search, terming it “a sign of intolerance” and a “fascist approach,” respectively.
The Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) has also condemned the police action.
PTI