Odishatv Bureau

Bhubaneswar: One of the senior journalists of Odisha Television Limited (OTV), Ramesh Rath has resigned from the news channel citing health and personal reasons after he was 'harassed and humiliated by the Keonjhar police' for his bold and fearless investigative journalism.

"I was picked up forcibly by the police from the main road on 15th Oct 2020 at Patia, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, while I was going home for lunch and thereafter I was harassed and humiliated by Keonjhar police. I was almost made a captive for no fault of mine. My two mobile phones have been forcibly taken away by the police also," Rath said in a press release.

He further said, "I came to know that I have been falsely implicated in the case of an alleged morphed video. I also came to learn that I have been deliberately and falsely implicated for my bold and candid journalism. This is the reward for fair and fearless journalism. I have done many investigating stories in the last 20 years, for the people of Odisha and for the first time the police have treated me like a criminal."

The Keonjhar Police had picked up Rath from near his residence in Bhubaneswar on October 15 in connection with the alleged morphed video that went viral on social media one and a half years back. He was later issued a notice to appear before the police on October 21.

However, he could not appear before the Keonjhar police on account of the deterioration in his health condition owing to the police excesses and sought 15 days’ time through his lawyer to appear.

“Due to health issues Rath could not appear. We have sought 15 days’ time and he will appear before the police on any date provided by the concerned department,” lawyer of Rath, Dhananjay Nayak had informed.

https://youtu.be/kBEJCZiCUMg

scrollToTop