Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, May 17: The recently launched Republic TV has landed in trouble with Bennett Coleman & Company (BCCL), which owns Times Now, filing a case against its founder Arnab Goswami and journlist Prema Sridevi alleging infringement of copyright.
Reports stated that in its complaint filed at Azad Maidan police station, the BCCL has accused Arnab Goswami of theft, criminal breach of trust, misappropriation of property and infringement of IPR of BCCL by using the same on Republic TV several times on May 6 and May 8.
Arnab Goswami, who was earlier the editor-in-chief at Times Now, launched his Republic TV on May 6, and on the first day, aired an 'expose' on Lalu Prasad with audio tapes of phone conversations purportedly between him and Shahbuddin. On May 8, the channel aired another exclusive pertaining the death of Congressman Shashi Tharoor's wife Sunanda Pushkar.
According to reports, the complaint states that in both the above stories, the material in the form of audio tapes of phone conversations were procured and accessed by Times Now when both Goswami and Sridevi were with Times Now. A report in The Economic Times stated that an internal inquiry by BCCL has established that these tapes were procured and in possession of Goswami and Sridevi while they were in the service of BCCL.
In its complaint, BCCL stated that both Goswami and Sridevi admitted to have been in possession of the Sunanda Pushkar audio tapes for the last two years, while they were in the employment of Times Now.
The complaint alleges that Goswami and Sridevi have wilfully, deliberately and with knowledge converted for their benefit and used the aforesaid intellectual property of Times Now and thereby dishonestly misappropriated the said intellectual property, thereby committing the offence of criminal misappropriation of property punishable under section 403 of IPC and several other provisions under applicable laws.
Based on the complaint the police have registered a case under sections 378, with sections 379, 403, 405, with sections 406, 409, 411, 414 and 418 of the Indian Penal Code, besides Section 66-B, 72 and 72-A of the IT Act, 2000.