Withdraw case against Soorinje, Sharan: Journalists Union appeal to new CM

Withdraw case against Soorinje, Sharan: Journalists Union appeal to new CM

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, May 22, 2013: There is new hope that the stalemate over the withdrawal of charges against TV reporter Naveen Soorinje and cameraman Sharan will have a happy ending soon. Following the overthrow of the BJP government and loud promises being made by the incumbent Congress government to undo the damage done by its predecessors, especially on the moral police issue, DK Working Journalists’ Union and Visual Media Journalists Association have once again taken up their cause and submitted a memorandum to chief minister Siddaramaiah demanding withdrawal of cases against them in connection with Mangalore home stay attack.

 

Taranath Kapikad, Mangalore Bureau chief of Janashree Kannada News channel, visited the Siddaramaiah in his home office at Bangalore and handed over the memorandum.

It may be recalled that police had slapped criminal charges against Naveen Soorinje, a reporter of Kasturi Newz 24/7 and Sharan, a cameraman of Sahaya TV for not reporting the attack to the police immediately. Soorinje and Sharan were the first to reach the spot and record the attack live. Soorinje has said though he tried several times to call the police, but no one was responding to the call. The police action is widely seen as vendetta against the media for being one step ahead of them. 

The CM is said to have given assurances that the file would be reviewed and swift action would be taken on the matter. Siddaramaiah’s media advisor Dinesh Amin Mattu is also said to have been present on the occasion and had assured that he would take up the issue with the CM.