MUMBAI: The capital has once again come under the scanner with disturbing occurrence of a five-year-old girl?s rape by two men. Zee News has broadcast the first ever live interview of Gudiya?s (the name given to the victim) father with Mimansa Malik on the channel, first aired at 8.00 pm on 26 April in a special show apart from covering the shocking incident in its regular news bulletins.

Zee News Editor Sudhir Chaudhary said, ?Zee News has always been a pioneer in highlighting social issues. Zee News has been providing ?aam aadmi? a platform for voicing their concerns and being heard by others and the authorities in line with its philosophy ?Soch Badlo Desh Badlo?. We will continue to air and support such causes in the future as well, since we think the nation needs awakening.?

The incident took place on the evening of 15 April when the girl went missing and even after trying to look for her everywhere the family could not locate her. Fearing the worst the father rushed to the police, who instead of trying to help in the rescue operation just harassed the father. The police didn?t lodge a complaint till late after midnight after much persuasion and pleading.

Malik said, ?The next day no one from the police station even bothered to enquire from us about Gudiya. The neighbors heard her cries; they broke open the door and found Gudiya. We requested the police to come to the spot (and see it themselves) but they asked us to pick them from the police station. The police did not help us at all.?

The incident was recently reported across news channels, that a five-year-old girl had been held hostage and raped by a neighbor and his friend, in Gandhi Nagar, East Delhi. The assault was so brutal that it has startled the entire nation (recollection of the Damini / Nirbhaya case).

?Even Sonia Gandhiji has visited us and blessed the child and touched her forehead. She also promised that she will make sure that something substantial is done for the child. Even though she said this, nothing has been yet communicated to us. We are still waiting that she keeps her word.? He proclaimed.

The father of the girl wants to ensure that the accused be tried and the girl gets her justice. The latest atrocity does nothing to change the perception that authorities remain interested in only paying lip service to the cause of securing rights of women in the country, while little change is effected on the ground.

NEW DELHI: A Delhi Court has said that steel magnate Naveen Jindal?s alleged call to News Broadcasting Standards Authority (NBSA) chairman Justice J S Verma does not amount to an offence of criminal misconduct within the meaning of Section 13 (1) (d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

In the case filed by Zee News Ltd seeking intervention of the Central Bureau of Investigation against Jindal for invoking Justice Verma, Special CBI Judge Dharmesh Sharma said: ?At this stage, assuming for the sake of convenience that such act was indeed committed by accused no. 1 (Jindal), it could only be said to be in the realm of moral turpitude or unethical conduct that by no stretch of legal latitude could be said to constitute an offence of criminal misconduct within the meaning of Section 13 (1) (d) of the P. C. Act.?

?Again assuming for the sake of convenience the fact attributed to the accused (Jindal) could only be perceived as having been done by him in his capacity as a CEO of a private company to show his might upon a non-governmental organization (NBSA) that cannot constitute an offence within the meaning of Section 13 (1) (d) of the P. C. Act.?

Zee News counsel Vijay Aggarwal, however, said he would pursue the matter in the Delhi High Court: ?The court has expressed doubts whether calling NBSA, in view of it being a private body, is unethical, criminal or not. Also, in view of the investigation being ordered, it may bring disrepute to NBSA and might affect pendency of civil suit defamation before the High Court of Mumbai.?

On 14 January, the court had taken consideration in the complaint made by Zee News before CBI against Jindal. The case was filed after the CBI did not take action on a complaint made against Jindal after his reported call to Justice Verma before he could make a pronouncement based on Jindal?s complaint against Zee News. While dismissing Jindal?s case, Justice Verma had taken umbrage to the complainant?s conduct.

Zee News Editors Sudhir Chaudhary and Samir Ahluwalia have alleged that they have been falsely implicated in a case relating to a series of exposes in the Coalgate scam involving Congress MP and industrialist Jindal. The two Zee editors wanted to expose Jindal?s template of silencing media coverage of Coalgate through a Rs One billion advertisement contract.