Zee News anchor Rohit Ranjan gets relief from SC in fake news case

The Supreme Court granted relief to Zee News anchor Rohit Ranjan, protecting him against multiple FIRs him over an alleged doctored video of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's speech

The Supreme Court on Friday granted relief to Zee News anchor Rohit Ranjan, protecting the journalist in multiple FIRs registered against him over an alleged doctored video of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's speech. 

The vacation bench of Justices Indira Banerjee and JK Maheshwari passed an interim order restraining respondent authorities from taking coercive steps to take Ranjan in custody, reports ANI. 

In the plea filed through law firm Karanjawala and Co, the petitioner, Ranjan had sought various reliefs including quashing of FIRs filed against him or clubbing of multiple FIRs lodged against him in connection with a "misleading show".

Luthra mentioned Ranjan's plea before the SC on Wednesday and apprised the court that he was arrested on Tuesday by Noida Police and later released on bail and now the Chhattisgarh Police wants to arrest him. Ranjan has informed the court that he does a show in which there was a mistake and he later apologised for it but multiple FIRs were filed against him, Luthra said.

Multiple FIRs were lodged against Ranjan for reportedly broadcast a misleading video of Gandhi, which showed the Congress leader referring to the accused in Udaipur killing as children. The Zee News had earlier apologised for the same.

Ranjan was detained on Tuesday from his home near Delhi by the UP police, after Chhattisgarh cops had reached his home to arrest him in the morning. 

(With ANI inputs)