The Jaipur police on Wednesday interrogated television news anchor Rohit Ranjan in connection with a doctored clip which had misquoted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi after the murder of tailor Kanhaiya Lal in Udaipur. Mr. Ranjan, who lives in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad, arrived here after being served a notice to join the police investigation.
The police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Mr. Ranjan, BJP national spokesperson Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and others on July 2 on the basis of a complaint lodged by Congress leader Ram Singh. Following the registration of the FIR at the Bani Park police station, the investigation was handed over to Kalwar police station in the city.
Mr. Ranjan and others were accused of spreading falsehood by doctoring Mr. Gandhi’s remarks on the violence at his Wayanad office in Kerala to appear as if they were made on Kanhaiya Lal’s murder. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot had also criticised the television news channel for telecasting the clip in a live show.
The news anchor arrived at Bani Park police station, from where he was taken to Kalwar. The police sources said he was allowed to leave after questioning.
The Supreme Court on July 8 passed an order restraining the State authorities from taking any coercive step against Mr. Ranjan, who faces multiple FIRs in several States in connection with his TV show.
Mr. Ranjan had later tendered an apology and the television channel had claimed that two of its producers had made the mistake. The FIRs against him were registered in Congress-ruled Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh and in Uttar Pradesh.
