GECs
Star Plus airs fresh content
MUMBAI: Star Plus has brought back original episodes of its popular shows Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, Kasautii Zindagii Kay, Yeh Rishtey Hain Pyaar Ke and Yeh Hai Chahatein — on-air with a fresh storyline from running, 13 July. The channel has also announced the launch of its new show Anupamaa, which was supposed to be launched in March but was held due to the spread of Covid2019 and the subsequent lockdown.
Star Plus will also host movie premieres on weekends with the world television premiere of Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior on 26 July, 8 pm and Disney’s The Lion King on 8 August, 8 pm. Iconic mythology shows, Ramayana and Mahabharata, will continue to air at 7.30 pm and 8.30 pm, respectively.
“We are happy to have entertained our viewers throughout the lockdown phase and are excited to bring back their favourite shows after more than 100 days. We hope that our engaging mix of romance, drama series, and light-hearted content along with movie premieres will continue to entertain our viewers,” said a Star Plus spokesperson.
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GECs
Sebi sends show-cause notice to Zee over fund diversion, company responds
Regulator questions 2018 letter of comfort and governance lapses; company vows robust legal response
MUMBAI: India’s markets watchdog has reignited its long-running scrutiny of Zee Entertainment Enterprises, issuing a sweeping show-cause notice that drags the broadcaster and 84 others into a widening governance storm.
The notice, dated February 12, has been served by the Securities and Exchange Board of India to Zee, chairman emeritus Subhash Chandra and managing director and chief executive Punit Goenka, among others. At its heart: allegations that company funds were indirectly routed to settle liabilities of entities linked to the Essel Group.
The regulator’s probe traces its roots to November 2019, when two independent directors resigned from Zee’s board, flagging concerns over the alleged appropriation of fixed deposits by Yes Bank. The deposits were reportedly adjusted against loans extended to Essel Group entities, triggering questions about related-party dealings and board oversight.
A key flashpoint is a letter of comfort dated September 4, 2018, issued by Subhash Chandra in his dual capacity as chairman of Zee and the Essel Group. The document, linked to credit facilities availed by certain group companies from Yes Bank, was allegedly known only to select members of management and not disclosed to the full board—an omission SEBI believes raises red flags over transparency and governance controls.
Zee has pushed back hard. In a statement, the company said it “strongly refutes” the allegations against it and its board members and will file a detailed response. It expressed confidence that SEBI would conduct a fair review and signalled readiness to pursue all legal remedies to protect shareholder interests.
The notice marks the latest twist in a saga that has shadowed the broadcaster since 2019. What began as boardroom unease has morphed into a full-blown regulatory confrontation. The final reckoning now rests with SEBI—but the reputational stakes for Zee, and the message for India Inc on governance discipline, could scarcely be higher.
