Editor-in-Chief of Sudarshan TV gets bail

Editor-in-Chief and Chief Managing Director of a news channel, who was arrested for allegedly promoting enmity between different groups here, was on Friday granted bail by a court here.

District Magistrate of Sambhal Bhupendra S Chaudhary said Suresh Chavhanke was produced before junior division judicial magistrate, where he was granted bail.

Chavhanke on the other hand termed police action against him as improper and was initially reluctant to take bail. But, after administrative officials convinced him, he relented, officials said.

Superintendent of Police Ravi Shankar Chhavi said, "Cases were registered against Chavhanke, Itrat Hussain Babar and Sanjay Shankhdhar for promoting enmity between different groups, inciting fear among the people and disturbing the communal amity."

Chavhanke was arrested on April 12 night by Sambhal police with the help of Lucknow police from the Chowdhury Charan Singh Airport, when he was about to leave the city.

An FIR was lodged against him under various sections of the IPC including those dealing with promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth and over content to cause, or which is likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public, or to any section of the public and other sections on April 10 in Sambhal.