Zee News anchor Rohit Ranjan questioned by Jaipur police

Jaipur: News anchor Rohit Ranjan was questioned Wednesday by police here for playing an allegedly doctored clip of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on his show last month.

The Zee News journalist, who lives on the outskirts of New Delhi, was sent a notice about two days back to join the investigation in Jaipur. After the questioning, he was allowed to return, Kalwar SHO Pannalal said.

On July 8, the Supreme Court had passed an order restraining various state authorities from taking any coercive steps against Ranjan, who faces multiple FIRs in connection with the tv programme.

He was slapped with cases in Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, as well as a case under lesser charges in BJP-run Uttar Pradesh, after the broadcast following the murder of Udaipur tailor Kanhaiya Lal by two men who said they were avenging an insult to Islam.

The show played remarks by Gandhi on the ransacking of his office in Kerala’s Wayanad, while allegedly giving the impression that the politician was speaking on the tailor’s murder and forgiving the killers.

Ranjan had later apologised and the channel claimed that the mistake was made by two producers.

In Jaipur, police registered an FIR on July 2 against Ranjan, BJP spokesperson Rajyavardhan Rathore and others.

The FIR was lodged on the basis of a complaint by a Congress leader, Ram Singh, at Banipark police station and the investigation handed over later to the Kalwar station.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot had also criticised the TV channel for show.

In July, a police team from Chhattisgarh had reached Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad to arrest the anchor from his home. But in a dramatic turn of events, he was instead arrested by UP’s Noida police who later released him on bail.