News Broadcasting
IBN7’s ‘Operation Yamraj’ revealed counterfeit medicine racket
MUMBAI: Operation Yamraj, a sting operation conducted by IBN7, unearthed a big racket of manufacturing and selling of fake & counterfeit medicines. The racket is based out of Meerut, not very far from the National Capital Delhi.
IBN7’s undercover reporter approached the masterminds of the racket posing as a businessman dealing in medicines. They were ready to supply cheap chemicals packaged in the bottles of a reputed company. They were so confident of their fake products that they claimed even the owners of these reputed companies will not be able to find any difference. They primarily target the medicines that are sold over the counter and do not require a medical practitioner’s prescription. Their offerings include medicines from common ailments such as cough, fever and pain to serious diseases of liver & kidney.
The channel aired Operation Yamraj on 1 December 2015 at 9 pm. The Uttar Pradesh administration took cognizance of this immediately and the UP Health Department has ordered an investigation into the matter. Raids are being conducted at various places in Meerut by the UP Police in co-ordination with other concerned departments. S P Yadav, State Minister of Medical & Health, Uttar Pradesh has assured that strict action will be taken against the accused. Many prominent leaders including Rajiv Shukla, K C Tyagi, Jagdambika Pal and Meerut MP Rajeev Agarwal across political parties have lauded IBN7’s efforts and have promised to raise the issue in Parliament. Former UP CM Mayawati has demanded a CBI enquiry into the matter. The story found great traction on social media with the hashtag #IBN7OpYamraj was amongst the top trends in India.
Commenting on the same, IBN7 Deputy Managing Editor Sumit Awasthi asserted, “As a responsible and leading news channel, we are committed to pursuing and uncovering stories that directly impact people across the country. Our team worked on this sting for close to 2 months committing ourselves fully to this story given its serious ramifications.”
News Broadcasting
Network18 Q4 revenue grows 9.7 per cent, EBITDA at Rs 30 crore
PAT improves to Rs 306.6 crore, margins steady amid cost pressures.
MUMBAI: Not all news is breaking, some of it is quietly improving. Network18 Media & Investments Limited appears to be doing just that, tightening losses and stabilising margins even as costs continue to weigh on the business. For FY26, the company reported revenue from operations of Rs 1,955.1 crore, up from Rs 1,896.2 crore in FY25, signalling modest top-line growth in a challenging media environment. Total income stood at Rs 1,978.2 crore, compared to Rs 1,913 crore a year earlier.
Profit after tax came in at Rs 306.6 crore for the year, a sharp turnaround from Rs 3,225.4 crore in FY25, largely reflecting the absence of large exceptional items that had inflated the previous year’s numbers. On a more comparable basis, the company’s operating performance showed signs of gradual stabilisation.
However, the quarterly picture remained under pressure. For the March quarter, Network18 reported a loss of Rs 53.1 crore, narrower than the Rs 98.1 crore loss in the same period last year, but still indicative of ongoing cost challenges.
Expenses continued to track high. Total expenses for FY26 stood at Rs 2,235.7 crore, up from Rs 2,197.8 crore in FY25. Key cost heads included operational expenses of Rs 765.9 crore, employee benefits of Rs 475.9 crore, and marketing, distribution and promotional spends of Rs 427.1 crore, underlining the continued investment required to sustain reach and engagement.
At an operating level, margins remained under strain. Operating margin stood at 2.33 per cent for FY26, marginally higher than 1.77 per cent in FY25, while net profit margin remained negative at -13.02 per cent, though improved from -14.89 per cent.
On the balance sheet, total assets rose to Rs 8,957.6 crore as of 31 March 2026, from Rs 8,317.5 crore a year earlier. Equity strengthened to Rs 4,958.7 crore, while borrowings increased to Rs 3,112.8 crore, reflecting a higher reliance on debt to support operations.
Cash flows told a mixed story. While financing activities generated Rs 83.9 crore, operating cash flow remained negative at Rs -24 crore, highlighting ongoing pressure on core cash generation. Cash and cash equivalents, however, improved to Rs 33.9 crore from Rs 1.8 crore.
The numbers point to a company in transition growing revenues, trimming losses, but still grappling with structural cost pressures. In a sector where scale often comes at a price, Network18 seems to be inching towards balance, one quarter at a time.
