"Brazen harassment and intimidation tactics...," says Times Now after court grants interim bail to journalist

New Delhi [India], May 7 : Times Now Navbharat has claimed that it has been subjected to "brazen harassment" and "intimidation tactics" following the findings of 'Operation Sheesh Mahal', which uncovered the disproportionate expenditure incurred in refurbishing the official residence of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Times Network's statement came after Times Now Navbharat's reporter Bhawana Kishore, along with cameraman Mrityunjay and Driver were wrongly implicated and arrested in an SC-ST case by the Ludhiana police on Friday.
The statement read, "Times Now Navbharat has been subjected to brazen harassment and intimidation tactics ever since the newsbreak of 'Operation Sheesh Mahal', which uncovered the ultra-lavish and disproportionate expenditure incurred in refurbishing the official residence of Delhi CM. In spite of the rough treatment at the hands of AAP functionaries and Private Security personnel in Delhi in the last few days, while covering the story, the channel has been working relentlessly, interviewing ministers and political authorities and uncovering more details to show the true picture to the public."
"In a bizarre turn of events, on May 5, 2023, while invited to cover an AAP political program hosted by Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab CM Bhagwat Mann in Ludhiana, Times Now Navbharat's reporter Bhawana Kishore, along with cameraman Mrityunjay and Driver, who had gone from Delhi to cover the event, were taken unawares and arrested by the Ludhiana police on charges of "rash driving and insulting Dalits," it added.
"In what appears to be an orchestrated series of events on May 5, the team was first forcibly denied access on ground to cover the Mohalla Clinic event presided by Mr Kejriwal. While returning from the location at around 4 pm, they were stopped by a group of women in an e-rickshaw which rammed into the car in which Bhawana and the team were travelling. They then forcefully stopped the team, got into a brawl and called the local police. We have reasons to believe that these women were motivated AAP workers. They allegedly claimed that the team abused them with SC/ST remarks. It is incomprehensible as to how people from Delhi in a car would be able to guess the caste of strangers on a street in Ludhiana," the statement mentioned.
The statement further said, "Amongst multiple rules violated by Punjab Police, Bhawana Kishore, a woman reporter, was illegally detained without the presence of lady police personnel in the car. The male Police who accompanied Bhawana was not wearing a name badge, which is a mandatory requirement on duty. While family members are to be immediately informed of a person's detention, this rule was also flouted and Bhawana's family was informed only at 10:41 p.m. No lady can be arrested post-sunset. However, not only was Bhawana arrested at 8:55 p.m., she was also kept at the police station through the night until this afternoon. They were also denied any legal or telephone access."
"Bhawana Kishore has been forced to sign some documents in Gurmukhi, clearly against her will and without the knowledge of the language. We believe this is a case of harassment and a signal of intimidation to Times Now Navbharat to stop pursuing an uncomfortable story about the Supreme Leader of the party in power in the State. This is not just blatant misuse of the State Machinery for vendetta but also misuse and disrespect of the SC/ ST Act which is being invoked wrongly and without any basis to intimidate. Times Network is seeking legal recourse and cooperating with the investigating authorities," the statement noted.
Meanwhile, in a big relief for journalist Bhawana Kishore, Punjab and Haryana High Court has granted the network's reporter interim bail in a special hearing on Saturday.
Times Now termed the HC's order as a big win.
"Big win for TIMES NETWORK! High Court grants interim bail to @BhawanaKishore," the media house said in a tweet after HC's order.
Bhawana Kishore was arrested by Punjab Police on Friday for allegedly hitting a woman with a speeding car and also hurling casteist slurs at her.
The HC's order came after a plea was moved seeking the quashing of the FIR lodged against her under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
Advocate Pawan Narang represented the media group. The Advocate General of Punjab was also present in the court.
The Court will now hear her plea for regular bail on Monday.
"Bhawana Kishore was getting panic attacks. We insisted that she should be granted bail...The regular bail plea will be heard on Monday," Times Now said while quoting Chetan Mittal (Bhawana's lawyer).
"The court agreed prima facie that this case is false... Whatever objection the state is having, that case will be heard on Monday," it said quoting the lawyer.
According to the Punjab Police, Ludhiana Commissionerate Police on Friday arrested three persons, including Bhawana Kishore for hitting a woman with a speeding car and also hurling casteist slurs at her.
Reacting to the release of the journalist, Times Network's Editor-in-Chief, Navika Kumar in a tweet said, "The HC order nails the [?]@AamAadmiParty lies & the #SheeshmahalBadla planned by [?]@BhagwantMann [?]@ArvindKejriwal[?]. Satyamev Jayate. Na jhukenge, na darenge. Truth Always Wins. #OperationSheeshmahal will continue. #DeshKiBetiBhawana."
Taking note of this high drama, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)'s Delhi minister Atishi backed the Punjab government and alleged that the news channel is 'anti-Dalit'.
"The court prima facie found the TV reporter guilty and sent her to custody till May 19. BJP and Times Now channels are anti-Dalit. Do they not trust the court?" Atishi said in a tweet.
Many people, cutting across party lines, came in support of Kishore, including Congress leader Pawan Khera asking the Bhagwant Mann government to come clean over the issue.
"Arresting a journalist and putting serious charges against her raises several questions. Is #BhawanaKishore being harassed because the channel she works for has done an expose' on #AAP? why was there no woman constable when she was being arrested? on what grounds have serious charges been imposed on her?" Pawan Khera tweeted.
Earlier in the day, National Commission for Women (NCW) chief Rekha Sharma took cognizance of the matter and sought a detailed action taken report in connection with the matter within four days from the State DGP.
In a letter, dated May 6, the NCW chief has also asked the DGP to present a copy of the FIR before the commission.
The commission, citing media reports, said that the journalist, identified as Bhavana Kishore, was recently illegally detained by the Punjab Police in Ludhiana.
Besides this, the Editors Guild of India (EGI) also urged the Punjab government to release the journalist from detention and direct its police to follow the established procedures.
"The Guild also notes that given that the reporter was on a journalistic assignment, the law enforcement agencies should have exercised due restraint with respect to detention and subsequent filing of FIR," the EGI said in a letter.