Trouble Mounts For NDTV’s Prannoy, Radhika Roy As CBI Files Case Of Cheating, Corruption And Criminal Conspiracy

Troubles have mounted for NDTV promoters Prannoy and Radhika Roy after the CBI on Wednesday (21 August) filed a fresh case against the duo on charges of FDI violations, Press Trust of India has reported.

NDTV’s former CEO Vikram Chandra and the two founders has been booked by the CBI under sections pertaining to criminal conspiracy, cheating and corruption. The CBI in its chargesheet alleges that NDTV had attempted to bring foreign funds to India with the help of sham transactions by floating 32 subsidiaries.

The charges also include that of money laundering for unnamed bureaucrats.

“It is alleged that these transactions are sham transactions and aforementioned funds are invested by unknown public servants through NDTV and later laundered back to India through multiple layers of complex transactions and shell companies”, said a statement by CBI.

In response to the fresh case, NDTV has issued a statement claiming “persecution of free press” and refuted the allegations by calling them “malicious”.

“Attempts to silence free and fair reportage through malicious and fabricated charges will not succeed. This is not about a company or individuals but about a larger battle to maintain the freedom of the press, something which India has always been renowned for”, said the NDTV statement.