Jindal says sting shows ‘extortion bid’ by Zee

Coming out in the open against Essel Group chairman Subhash Chandra and senior executives of news channels owned by his group, Congress MP and Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (JSPL) chairman Naveen Jindal today released video clips to purportedly show that the media group tried to extort Rs 100 crore from him in return for not airing adverse reports on the coal block allocation row.

The video clips purportedly show the conversations between Jindal's executives and Zee News editor and business head Sudhir Chaudhary and Zee Business editor and business head Samir Ahluwalia during their three meetings held on October 13, 17 and 19.

Speaking to the media for the first time after his company filed an FIR with the Crime Branch of Delhi Police on October 2, Jindal accused the media group of extortion attempt and willful defamation.

The footage, reportedly comprising audio and video clips recorded using spy cameras by JSPL executives, was submitted with the FIR and sent for forensic verification by the police. The forensic reports have not come yet.

"The matter was under investigation, so we had decided not to speak to the media. But Zee has been misusing their platform and running one-sided negative reports against us and making all kinds of allegations...we, therefore, decided to present our side of the story and release this footage so that the people can make the right judgment," said Jindal.

While the total video recording done by JSPL reportedly runs into two-and-a-half hours, about 15 minutes of the footage was released today. This purportedly shows Chaudhary and Ahluwalia negotiating an advertising deal with JSPL executives in exchange for stopping their negative reports on the coal block allocation row.

Referring to a previous meeting, JSPL executives are heard protesting that Zee's alleged demand of Rs 100 crore was too much, saying Ahluwalia had first demanded Rs 25 crore for four years.

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