Zee News sends defamation notice of Rs 150 crore to Jindal

Zee News Limited has sent a defamation notice to the tune of Rs 150 crore against Naveen Jindal and JSPL as a strong reply to Naveen Jindal and JSPL's accusations against Zee News during a press conference held on October 26.

Zee News has granted a three day time period to Jindal to withdraw all his unsubstantiated and defamatory allegations against Zee News, failing which Jindal would face civil and criminal actions initiated by the news broadcaster.

In a press statement, ZNL claims, "Zee News has always been the forerunner in exposing Naveen Jindal's double standard as a politician and industrialist in the Coalgate scam. Zee News clearly understands that it is to suppress the coverage that Zee News was telecasting on Coalgate, that the corporate communications team from JSPL first tried to bribe Samir Ahluwalia with Rs 25 crore, which he declined straightway, and later was offered a Rs 100 crore advertising deal to stop the coverage of the Coalgate scam."

"Zee News today and in the past has always been in pursuit of seeking truth in the Coalgate scam, and has had several interactions with Jindal and his officials. We accuse Jindal and JSPL of maligning the name of Zee News since they chose to display an edited/doctored CD where only selected portions were shown. Jindal has a history of unfairly targeting those who dare to confront him with the truth," the company adds.

ZNL notes that attempts by 'right thinking media houses' including Zee News to bring out the truth in the Rs 1.86 lakh crore Coalgate scam are being muzzled by Jindal by distorting the truth and defaming those who are trying to dig out the truth. In fact, ZNL states that even the CAG has listed Naveen Jindal-promoted JSPL as the primary beneficiary in the Coalgate scam.

"We are of the view that similar false allegations have been made by Jindal and his officials against Zee News in a police complaint and we see it as subversion of the due process of law. Clearly, we see this as an attempt to prejudice and defame us and to overreach the investigation in this regard and have hence sent a defamation notice to JSPL and Jindal," the press communiqué said.

Additionally, Zee News also asserts that it is undeterred by such diversionary tactics adopted by Jindal and JSPL and will stay focused on unravelling the ultimate truth in the Rs 1.86 lakh crore Coalgate scam, and has only taken this route to counter the allegations made.