Arrested journalist Vinod Verma cries foul, says he's being framed

Journalist Vinod Verma, who was arrested on Friday in connection with an extortion and blackmailing case, has said that he was being framed.

Verma was arrested by the Chhattisgarh Police from his residence in Indirapuram in Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad.

"The government of Chhattisgarh is not happy with me. I am being framed," he told ANI after the arrest.

He was later taken to the Ghaziabad district court from the Indirapuram Police Station.

The senior journalist was arrested on extortion charges by the Chhattisgarh Police, after an FIR was filed by a person named Prakash Bajaj, who accused him of blackmailing him over a certain 'vulgar' video that features his boss.

 

"I have a sex CD of a Chhattisgarh Minister; he is Rajesh Munat and that is why the Chhattisgarh Government is not happy with me," he added.

Prakash Bajaj has alleged that he had been receiving numerous calls, in which Verma blackmailed and threatened him of leaking an objectionable video of his higher-ups.

The Raipur Police added that, in his complaint, Prakash Bajaj said the caller blackmailed and asked him for money, following which a case was registered by the Pandri Police Station.

According to reports, Prakash Bajaj is Bharatiya Janata Party's Chhattisgarh Committee member. The police, however, said, "We will talk to Bajaj and details will be asked from him."

Verma, who is currently working with Amar Ujala as the Editor, had also worked with BBC for several years.