Zee Editor moves court to get BEA enquiry declared void

Zee Editor Sudhir Chaudhary who was arrested in connection with a criminal complaint filed by businessman Naveen Jindal's company, has moved the Delhi High court seeking declaration of an enquiry conducted against him by the Broadcast Editors' Association (BEA) as void.

The BEA had earlier formed a three-member Fact Finding Committee, comprising journalists N K Singh, Dibang and Rahul Kanwal to look into the issues of professional ethics emanating out of the allegations levelled by Jindal Steel and Power Limited against Chaudhary who was then Treasurer of the association.

Following the report of the committee, the BEA had removed Chaudhary from its membership. Chaudhary, sources said, had approached the court seeking that the ethics committee enquiry should be declared as null and void and his removal from membership be held as invalid and illegal.

Chaudhary has also sought the removal of a press release issued by the BEA from public domain and the declaration that the press release is invalid. He is also learnt to have sought an unconditional apology and damages.

When contacted, N K Singh, General Secretary of the BEA confirmed the development. Shazi Zaman, President of the BEA said, "BEA stands by the steps it has taken and we will give an appropriate response in the court of law."

The matter would be heard on January 4, 2013, sources said.

The high court has issued notices to BEA and others, whom Chaudhary named as defendants in his plea.

"Summons in the suit and notices in the application be issued to the defendants, on filing of process fee, both in the ordinary method as well as by registered post AD, returnable on January 4, 2013," Justice Valmiki J Mehta, in a order passed on November 20, said.