Arnab Goswami, the former editor-in-chief of the group’s Times Now channel is in deep trouble has filed a criminal complaint against and anchor of the popular Newshour that runs on it.

In a complaint filed on Tuesday, May 16, with the Azad Maidan Police Station, Mumbai, Bennett, Coleman & Co Ltd, (BCCL) also known as the Times of India Group, has accused Goswami and Prema Sridevi of,
(i) theft,
(ii) criminal breach of trust,
(iii) misappropriation of property,
(iv) infringement of BCCL’s intellectual properties by using the material on Republic TV on May 6 and May 8.

In its complaint, BCCL has sought to charge Goswami and Sridevi with various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act, for allegedly using material that belonged to BCCL on Republic TV. BCCL claims the duo had access to stories, audio-video content, documents, tapes, while they were still employees of Times.

BCCL alleged that both may 6th expose on Lalu Prasad yadav and May 8th expose on sasi tharoor displayed material (in the form of audio tapes of phone conversations) that was procured and accessed while Goswami and Sridevi were in the employment of Times Now.

It said that an internal inquiry clearly pointed out that these tapes were procured and in the possession of Goswami and Sridevi while they were in the service of BCCL.

The complainant also alleges that Goswami and Sridevi had on Republic TV admitted and claimed that the audio conversation in the Sunanda Pushkar case aired on May 8 was in their possession for the last two years when they were with Times Now.

Accusing Goswami and Sridevi of wilfully and deliberately using Times Now’s intellectual property, BCCL has sought to prosecute the duo for criminal misappropriation of property under section 403 and other provisions of the Indian Penal Code, and certain sections of the Information Technology Act.