Kerala: Police search Asianet News office day after SFI protest

The eight-member police team led by an Assistant Commissioner rank officer carried out a search of the premises and looked through the data files on computers in the case involving the alleged 'fake' interview of a girl from Northern Kerala presenting her as a victim of drug and sexual assault.

Kozhikode:Police in Kerala's Kozhikode searched the office of Asianet News on Sunday, a day after a group of activists linked to the student wing of the ruling party allegedly forced their way into the office of the channel.

According to reports, the eight-member police team led by an Assistant Commissioner rank officer carried out a search of the premises and looked through the data files on computers in the case involving the alleged 'fake' interview of a girl from Northern Kerala presenting her as a victim of drug and sexual assault.

On Saturday, the Students' Federation of India (SFI) activists barged into the Asianet office after they were reportedly angry about the news report the channel had aired concerning the alleged sexual assault on the girl. The activists allegedly threatened staff and intimidated employees. The channel filed a complaint with the police, which led to a case being registered against around 30 activists of the SFI.

Asianet Newsable tweeted the video of police personnel carrying out the investigation in its office. The channel tweeted: "Days after SFI hooliganism, Kerala Police conducts 'search' at Asianet News Kozhikode office. Regardless, Asianet News continues to report, true to its motto: Straight. Bold. Relentless." Reacting to the police action, Union Minister of State Rajeev Chandrashekhar tweeted: "So @pinarayivijayan facing serious corruptn charges n questns from media thinks he can wriggle out n distract ppl by intimidatng media using his SFI hoodlums n thn his Police #Joker"(sic).

The ruling party's sources claimed that the news channel had broadcast "fake news" about the alleged sexual assault of over 10 girl students at a school in northern Kerala. The SFI Ernakulam District Committee said they organized the march to protest against the fake news run by the channel.

The news channel had aired the story as part of its programme last year on the drug menace in the state. Despite the controversy, the Press Club of India criticised the SFI's actions and urged the Kerala government to launch an investigation into the incident. They said that strong-arm tactics have no place in a democracy. Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar also criticized the state government for the incident. The media company confirmed that the police searched their offices on Sunday, following the incident.

Barging into media offices is "illegal" and should be considered as "an attack on press freedom", the Press Club of India, Indian Women's Press Corps, Delhi Union of Journalists and the Kerala Union of Working Journalists said in a joint statement. "We expect the Kerala government to take strict action against those who attacked Asianet," they said. A case was later registered against 30 SFI activists, the students' wing of the ruling CPI(M) in Kerala, on the basis of a complaint lodged by the channel.