The News Minute | February 27, 2015 | 8.58 pm IST
Following the revelations in The Indian Express report on the Essar leaks, two journalists have resigned after their names were included in a PIL.
Two senior journalists have resigned from their posts while a third has been asked to explain her actions. These three journalists are among others who allegedly availed services including cab services which were provided by the company.
On Friday, The Indian Express published a report about the Essar group having allegedly attempted to cultivate journalists in a bid to get them to report favourably about the group’s business activities. Hindustan Times editor Energy Editor Anupama Airy has reportedly resigned from her post and so has Editor of Mail Today Sandeep Bamzai.
A source in Times Now said that one of its reporters, Meetu Jain has been issued a show cause notice as the allegations related to her in the Essar leaks happened when she was with CNN-IBN. The source said said that the management had “taken this very seriously” and that she would be asked to explain herself to a Management Committee.
Meetu Jain told Newslaundry: "I would like to out rightly deny any allegations that I took a favour, such as a taxi, from the Essar Group of companies while working at my previous organisation. Meanwhile, I would like to add that my Editor in Chief, Arnab Goswami, and the management of Times Now have sought an official explanation from me as of this evening which I shall be giving.
Pending that, I am off my official duties with the organisation,”
The newspaper published the report after an employee leaked internal communications of the company. The Centre for Public Interest Litigation has approached the Supreme Court with a PIL, and the petition includes the emails which purportedly contain information regarding the favour shown to journalists and others.
Essar has denied the allegations and has said that it would initiate legal action on what was stolen from its servers.