The Mumbai police on Friday registered a First Information Report (FIR) against several staffers of Republic TV network for allegedly trying to incite and create disaffection among the members of the police force and also defaming the Mumbai police through “defamatory” news stories.

Acting on a complaint filed by sub-inspector Shashikant Pawar of Special Branch-1, the NM Joshi Marg Police registered an FIR against several staffers of Republic

TV network for allegedly trying to create disaffection among the members  through a “baseless” story  that a revolt had broken out within the force against Mumbai  Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh.

The Republic TV staffers who have been named in the FIR are: Executive Editor Niranjan Narayanswamy, deputy news editor Sagarika Mitra, anchor/senior associate editor, Shivani Gupta, deputy editor Shawan Sen, other editorial staff and newsroom in-charge.

The Republic TV staffers have been booked under section 3(1) of the Police (Incitement to Disaffection) Act 1922+ read with Section  500 ( Punishment for defamation) and  34 ( acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of Indian Penal Code.

In his complaint, sub-inspector Pawar has said that the television channel and its staffers aired certain reports on Thursday (Oct. 22) which, among other things, sought to deliberately defame the Mumbai Police force and its head, Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh.

The report in question, according to the FIR, pertained to one headlined “Revolt Against Param Bir? Senior Officers Part of Probe Give Details”.

The reporter among other things said: “Republic has exclusive information that there is rebellion against Mumbai top cop, within the Mumbai police growing...., So now rebellion is also brewing within the Mumbai police force itself, this of course a matter of their own institutional credibility, .. Shiv Sena is in fact following the case very closely and he has confirmed this to use..., Param Bir Singh is hell-bent on tarnishing the image of Mumbai police force...There is now rebellion of sorts brewing from his subordinates        

On its part, Republic TV described the FIR as ‘shocking’, ‘witch-hunt’ and ‘a shocking assault on media rights’ indulged in by the Mumbai Police.