New Delhi: Zee Group Chairman Subhash Chandra is understood to have informed police that he could not join investigations into the case of alleged extortion bid by two senior journalists of his channel till December five.
In response to a notice send by investigators asking him to join investigations, police sources said Chandra has replied seeking more time as he is abroad. Two Zee Editors Sudhir Chaudhury and Samir Ahluwalia were arrested two days ago following investigations into a complaint filed by Congress MP Naveen Jindal's group alleging that they had demanded Rs 100 crore for not airing negative news on coal blocks allocation linking his company.
Chandra was asked twice by police to join investigations and in court on Wednesday, investigators have alleged that they were treating him as an accused as he knew about the dealings between his employees and Jindal's company.
Asked whether investigators would now approach court seeking issuance of warrant, a senior police official said they will take such a decision if there is a need. "At the moment, it doesn't seem so," he said.
Police is likely to seek extension of remand of Chaudhary and Ahluwalia when they will be produced before court on Friday. They were sent to two days police custody on Wednesday.
With Chandra not joining investigations, sources said, police is likely to seek further custody of the two editors citing that their custodial interrogation will be necessary to unearth conspiracy.
Investigators had claimed that forensic experts have validated the authenticity of the video tape submitted by Jindal in which purported conversations of Zee Editors demanding Rs 100 crore for not airing news negative about his company.
Zee Group has denied the allegations and demanded the immediate release of its two senior journalists, alleging that the police action was "illegal" and "designed for something else".
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