The police on Friday opposed the applications of R. Ajithkumar, CEO of Mangalam news channel, and Jayachandran, its chief reporter, for vacating the bail conditions imposed by the High Court in the case related to the airing of obscene audio clips involving former Minister A.K. Saseendran.
While allowing the bail, the court had directed the accused not to enter the premises of the channel till a final report is filed by the police in the case.
E.S. Bijumon, Dy.SP (High Tech Cell), stated before the court that the most crucial witnesses in the case were the employees of the channel where the petitioners were CEO and chief reporter. There was every possibility that the petitioners could easily induce/threaten the witnesses working under them, the statement said.
If the petitioners were allowed to enter the premiss of the channel at this stage, they would definitely influence the witnesses, which would adversely affect the investigation and collection of evidences. Moreover, there was every likelihood of tampering with or manipulating the evidences in the case, the police said.
The police also stated that the accused were highly influential persons and had money and other resources and there was every chance of them using such influences to threaten and influence the witnesses to their side and also to tamper with the evidences, the police said.
If any of the bail conditions were vacated, the police said, the accused would put further hurdles on the investigation.
