Zee News Sends Rs 1,000 Cr Defamation Notice To Navjot Singh Sidhu

Sidhu allegedly implied that Zee News aired a fake video of his Alwar rally & said he would file a defamation case

The notice seeks Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu to “tender an unconditional public apology.”

(Photo: PTI)

Zee News has issued a Rs 1,000 crore defamation notice to Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu for “his defamatory and false allegations against Zee Media”, said Sudhir Chaudhary, Editor-in-chief of Zee News in a tweet on Saturday, 15 December.

The legal notice instructs Sidhu to “tender an unconditional public apology undertaking not to repeat such a defamatory act” against the channel in the future, within 24 hours.

Navjot Singh Sidhu had said on Monday, 3 December, in a press conference, that he would file a defamation case against a television channel for allegedly airing a fake video which claimed that pro-Pakistan slogans had been raised at his rally in Rajasthan's Alwar. He did not mention the name of the channel.

"I am going to file a defamation case after consulting with my lawyer. I cannot compromise with the name I have earned," he had told reporters at the Congress office.

Zee News had aired a video on Sunday, 2 December, that showed the crowd at the minister’s rally allegedly shouting pro-Pakistan slogans.

The notice goes on to say that “the said rally was also recorded by a few journalists who testified that Pakistan Zindabad slogan was indeed raised in the said rally.”

The notice accuses Sidhu of “maligning” and “discrediting” the channel, not just in reference to the Alwar rally video but also for his statements regarding the video that Zee News aired in 2016, of “anti-national sloganeering” in JNU.

The notice also asks the minister to refrain “from making and spreading, directly or indirectly, any further defamatory statement” against the channel; and to restrain himself “from issuing threats to our clients and spreading or promoting directly or indirectly, any enmity, hatred, ill will” against the channel.

Zee News had earlier filed a complaint with the Election Commission against Congress leaders for allegedly violating the model code of conduct by allowing anti-national forces to raise pro-Pakistan slogans.