India TV describes Cobrapost sting ‘doctored’ and a half-truth

Cobrapost’s sting operation “Operation 136” named 17 media outlets and a two-hour long video screening was held on Monday by the portal. In a rejoinder one of the outlets, India TV, does not deny the meeting between the undercover reporter and one of its senior executives. But it points out that the TV channel did not accept a single proposal made by the undercover reporter, no material was ever shared and no consideration was ever received by any employee.

The video footage, the rejoinder alleges, left out important sections of the conversation.

Here is the full text of the rejoinder by India TV :

“The story titled “Operation 136” published by Cobrapost on 26.03.2018 contains imagery showing my team member, Mr. Jitender Kumar and me during a sales meeting with a person we were led to believe was one Mr. Acharya Chhatrapal Atal. I categorically state that none of the proposals discussed or put forward by this Mr. Acharya Chhatrapal Atal were accepted by the Company and were in fact entirely turned down by the editorial and legal teams of India TV. No employee of India TV accepted any consideration from Mr. Acharya Chhatrapal Atal and none of the material shared by him was ever aired on India TV.

The allegations made in the offending footage are emphatically denied. I state that the footage in the offending video is doctored and important/relevant portions of the same have been edited. The video footage selectively shows my team member agreeing to consider an advertisement proposal put forward by the said Mr. Acharya Chhatrapal Atal. It is pertinent to state that Cobrapost has, to their advantage, concealed important aspects of the discussion only to sensationalize the story and for their self-serving interests.

Even the contents of the offending story released by Cobrapost do not prove any wrong doing whatsoever by any employee of India TV and it is the voiceover in the offending story that is drawing unfounded and self-serving conclusions. India TV will be taking strictest legal action to seek redressal for the same.”