Private television news channel NDTV today called CBI raids on the premises of its owners a political attack and said it was the government's attempt to silence the media.
In a statement on the CBI action, the channel said ruling party politicians could not "stomach" the "independence and fearlessness" of NDTV's team.
"The CBI raid is merely another attempt at silencing the media," it said.
The channel expressed shock that the CBI conducted raids on NDTV offices and the owners' residences without conducting a preliminary enquiry.
"This is a blatant political attack on the freedom of the press as sources confirm that under pressure, the CBI has been compelled to file an FIR based on a shoddy complaint by a disgruntled former consultant at NDTV," it said.
Identifying the ex-employee as Sanjay Dutt, the statement said he had been making false allegations and filing cases in the courts of law.
"So far, he has not obtained a single order from any of these courts," it said.
The sharp reaction from NDTV came after the CBI carried out searches in the residences and offices of channel owners Prannoy Roy and his wife Radhika Roy.
The NDTV statement said legal analysts were "astounded" that when the courts had "rejected giving any order" in all these years, the CBI conducted the raids based on what was a private complaint.
On the allegations mentioned in the CBI case, the NDTV said the loan of Rs 375 crore taken from ICICI Bank -- which it was accused of not paying back -- had been repaid more than seven years ago.
The statement added that, on the other hand, "lakhs and crores of rupees of dues" had not been paid by several other industrialists and no criminal case had been registered against them by the CBI.
But in the case of NDTV, "the CBI has not only chosen to register an FIR, but also conducted a search for a loan which has been duly repaid to ICICI Bank", it said.
The statement said an allegation of non-disclosure of pledging of shares to market regulator SEBI was "incorrect and false".
The channel said it was apparent that the CBI searches were a "witch-hunt" since the documents seized by the probe agency did not relate to the business of the promoters and NDTV.
"NDTV and its promoters have never defaulted on any loan to ICICI or any other bank. We adhere to the highest levels of integrity and independence," it said.
"No matter how much the politicians attack us - We will not give up the fight for freedom and the independence of media in India," it added.
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