News Broadcasting
Imam Bukhari challenges ‘fake’ story, Republic TV denies receipt of notice
MUMBAI: You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life, said Winston Churchill. There is only one thing in life worse than being talked about, and that’s not being talked about, said Oscar Wilde. Arnab Goswami fits both.
The ‘shahi imam’ of Jama Masjid in Delhi, Syed Ahmed Bukhari, has reportedly served a defamation notice on Republic TV’s promoters including its founder and editor, Arnab Goswami, for what he says “was malicious reporting on the mosque.”
Republic TV CEO Vikas Khanchandani however told Indiantelevision.com that the channel did not receive any notice yet. And, if at all the man had despatched the notice, the matter would become sub-judice. (In law, sub-judice, Latin for “under judgment”, means that a particular case is under trial or being considered by a judge or court.)
In his notice, Janta Ka Reporter wrote, Bukhari demanded an on-air apology from the channel and removal of any video content existing on the web platforms owned by Republic TV within 15 days.
In its programme on 30 August, Republic TV had claimed that electricity supply to the historic mosque was cut by the Delhi Electricity Department due to non-payments of bills. The channel had run this story repeatedly while also using its official Twitter handle to tweet about it. Its tweet reportedly read, “Imam Bukhari has money to buy luxurious cars but can’t pay electricity bills?”
Imam Bukhari said the story was baseless and defamatory, as the power of the mosque was never cut.
The notice reportedly stated: “It was expected that as an organisation having a wide broadcast television news channel audience, you should have verified the facts before embarking upon such unprofessional and irresponsible statements which are nothing but intended to defame our client. The aforementioned news report is not only a glaring case of false and fake reporting but has also been telecast with mala fide intent to adversely affect the image and reputation of our client,” the Indian Awaaz reported.
Media companies will not only need journalists but good lawyers too if they wanted “the show to go on.”
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Kolkata Town Hall on Hooghly River
‘Bhalobasa Bengal Inspiring Bharat’ event on April 20 brings cultural icons, trailblazing women and leaders aboard a cruise to celebrate Bengal’s enduring influence.
MUMBAI: Bengal is about to make fresh waves on the Hooghly and this time the current is pure conversation. CNN-News18 is taking its iconic Town Hall format to the waters of the iconic Hooghly River on 20 April 2026 with a special edition titled ‘Bhalobasa Bengal – Inspiring Bharat’. The floating event will celebrate the state’s rich cultural legacy and how its ideas, creativity and spirit continue to shape the rest of the country.
The unique riverside setting draws on Bengal’s history as a cradle of reform, art and intellectual thought. The speaker line-up mirrors that diversity: cultural heavyweights Mithun Chakraborty and Sreenanda Shankar will share the stage with trailblazing “Devis” such as Tanya Sanyal (India’s first woman firefighter in aviation), Ipsita Chakraborty (Kolkata’s first woman bartender) and Reshma Nilofer Visalakshi (Nari Shakti awardee and marine pilot). Music will flow through the celebrated pianist-vocalist duo Sourendro and Soumyojit, while public life and governance will be represented by Smriti Irani, Leander Paes, Saira Shah Halim, Keya Ghosh, Rekha Patra, Roopa Ganguly and Babul Supriyo.
CNN-News18, editorial affairs director, Rahul Shivshankar, said the event honours voices that carry Bengal’s legacy forward. Smriti Mehra, CEO – English & Business News, Network18, added that Bengal’s stories resonate far beyond its borders, especially as the state heads into polls.
From the first woman to battle flames in the skies to legendary actors who shaped Indian cinema, the gathering promises a rich mix of inspiration, courage and candid dialogue. In a city where culture has always flowed as freely as the river itself, CNN-News18 is turning the Hooghly into a floating forum for ideas that matter.
Tune in on 20 April on CNN-News18, CTV and YouTube to catch Bengal’s heartbeat in full flow.
