BCCL files complaint against Arnab for theft; They're nervous, says Arnab

Bennett, Coleman & Co Ltd (BCCL) on May 16, 2017 lodged a complaint against Republic TV’s Arnab Goswami and Prema Sridevi, former News Reporter with Times Now, for “theft, criminal breach of trust, misappropriation of property and infringement of IPR of BCCL by using the same on Republic TV on May 6 and 8, 2017”. 

Goswami launched his English News channel Republic TV on May 6, 2017 with an expose on RJD head Lalu Prasad Yadav, in which audio tapes containing phone conversations between the ex-chief minister of Bihar and Shahabuddin, allegedly while he was still in prison, were played out. 

Another expose was done on Republic TV by Goswami on May 8, 2017 in which audio tapes of phone conversations between Prema Sridevi and late Sunanda Pushkar (wife of Congress leader Shashi Tharoor) and their house help Narayan was broadcast. 

According to BCCL, both these exposes displayed material (in the form of audio tapes of phone conversations) that was procured and accessed while Goswami and Prema were in the employment of Times Now. In a statement issued, BCCL stated, “An internal inquiry has clearly pointed out that these tapes were procured and in the possession of Goswami and Prema Sridevi while they were in the service of BCCL...In fact, Arnab Goswami and Prema Sridevi have on Republic TV admitted and claimed that the audio conversation in the Sunanda Pushkar case, aired on May 8, was in their possession for the last two years when they were in their previous organisation, that is, with Times Now.” 

The statement further said, “Goswami and Sridevi have wilfully, deliberately and with knowledge converted for their benefit and used the aforesaid intellectual property of ‘Times Now’ and thereby dishonestly misappropriated the said intellectual property, thereby  committing the offence of criminal misappropriation of property punishable U/Sec.403 of I.P.C. and several other provisions under applicable laws.” 

Meanwhile, in response to the development, Arnab Goswami said, “It is interesting to see them so nervous. If the Times Network has lost viewership, they must evaluate their content and show some grace even in defeat. I am sitting and working in a newsroom and the TOI owners are sitting at the police station. This shows nervousness. They must show greater poise and realise that new age journalists will not be cowed down by these silly stunts.” 

BCCL owns and operates various television channels in India, including English news channel Times Now, which was launched on January 31, 2006. The statement also added that BCCL owns several intellectual assets in the form of stories, audio-video content, documents, tapes, etc., gathered by its team of reporters and journalists during its news gathering and broadcasting operations. Therefore, it has taken steps to defend its rights and protect its intellectual property against such misuse.