Delhi court allows police to probe alleged threat calls to Zee News' Sudhir Chaudhary

A court here on Saturday granted permission to Delhi Police to investigate a case related to alleged threat calls received by editor-in-chief of Zee News Sudhir Chaudhary.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sudhir Kumar Sirohi said the investigation is to be carried out in the matter as the complainant cannot get details of calls from different international numbers.

The investigating officer of Delhi Police had moved the court seeking permission for probe into the case as under the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure, no police officer can investigate a non-cognisable case without the order of a magistrate having power to try such case or commit the case for trial.

The police has lodged a non-cognisable report under sections 506 (criminal intimidation) and 507 (criminal intimidation by an anonymous communication) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

In the application moved before the court, the police said that complainant Chaudhary was allegedly receiving threat calls on WhatsApp from different international numbers.

The court said in its order, "The threat has been received from international numbers, therefore, in view of the freedom of the press and in view of the fact that the complainant cannot get the details of international numbers, therefore undersigned (Judge) deems fit that the investigation is to be carried in this matter. Accordingly, the permission is granted to the Investigating Officer to investigate the matter."

On May 12, Chaudhary had alleged that he received threats on WhatsApp allegedly from Pakistan threatening him for his reporting on various kinds of jihad.

On May 7, an FIR was filed in Kerala against him after he had reported on various kinds of jihad, alleging he made incendiary remarks about the Muslim community in his show.