News Broadcasting
India TV stands by cricket story; Modi threatens legal action
NEW DELHI: Taking umbrage of what it termed “misreporting,” the Lalit Modi-headed Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) announced it will file a legal suit against the Rajat Sharma promoted India TV Similar action will also be taken against a widely circulated Hindi daily, Punjab Kesari, an official statement from RCA stated.
The statement added that Modi, president of RCA and vice-president of the Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI), has taken “strong exception to the malicious, fabricated (and) distorted reporting” by a section of print and electronic media, while reporting a survey by income tax authorities on RCA office premises in Jaipur on 1 September.
When contacted, India TV said it stands by the story and added it was “duty-bound to report facts without fear or favour, howsoever inconvenient” they may be to the parties who are being probed by income tax authorities in Rajasthan and Mumbai.
RCA has contended that while the aforementioned two media organizations said a raid was conducted in the middle of the night, it was a “routine survey” that did not place in the middle of night.
Apart from some other ‘disputed’ facts, the regional cricket body, which has been a platform for Modi to contest against some former BCCI officials, also said the visuals telecast were not of the RCA.
Legal counsel for the RCA Mehmood Abdi, was quoted in the official statement as saying, “RCA and Mr. Lalit Modi have decided to take legal action against all such publishers and broadcasters, particularly India TV of Mr Rajat Sharma and Punjab Kesari, for deliberately twisting facts of an interactive session, which took place between the RCA officials and the income tax authorities.”
Pointing out that the tax authorities came for “verification of records”, Abdi said media “preferred” to describe it as “raid and seizure of records and recovery of cash from RCA office.”
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.
