Suresh Chavhanke of Sudarshan TV news channel was arrested yesterday night by Sambhal police with the help of local cops from the Chowdhury Charan Singh Airport, when he was about to leave the city, the official said.

After his arrest, the editor asked his followers to maintain calm

An FIR was lodged against Chavhanke 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.

Provisions related to deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion and Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Amendment Act, 2000, have also been invoked against him.

It was alleged that the channel had telecast a programme in which Chavhanke dished out objectionable content because of which tension prevailed in the city.

But he denied anything of this sort and asked his detractors to prove the same

The Government had assured Rajya Sabha yesterday that it would take action against the channel in Uttar Pradesh. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi had said, “We cannot allow anyone to disturb peace and communal harmony.”

Reacting to it, this is what Chavhanke tweeted:

“Media’s independence is one thing but it cannot be so free that it spreads communal disharmony in various parts of the country. We have taken note of it and will take action,” Naqvi had said.