Delhi Police notice to Zee Group promoter for joining probe

Delhi Police has sent a notice to Zee Group promoter Subhash Chandra asking him to join investigations in connection with alleged extortion bid by two senior journalists of his news channels.

A senior police official said the notice has been sent to Chandra soon after the arrests of two Zee editors -- Sudhir Chaudhury and Samir Ahluwalia -- following investigations into complaint by Congress MP Naveen Jindal's company.

Police had claimed that forensic experts have validated the authenticity of the video tape submitted by Jindal in which purported conversations of Zee editors demanding Rs 100 crore for not airing news negative about his company.

Zee Group has denied the allegations and demanded the immediate release of its two senior journalists, alleging that the police action was "illegal" and "designed for something else".

Sudhir Chaudhary, the head of Zee News, and Samir Ahluwalia, head of Zee Business, were arrested last night on the complaint by Jindal's company filed in October.