News Broadcasting
Times Now Navbharat’s Mrityunjay Kumar and Parminder Singh recount their harrowing experience during their time in judicial custody in Punjab
Mumbai: In an act of vendetta against the uncomfortable expose’ of the inordinate expenditure incurred for Interior Decoration of the Delhi CM Residence inhabited by its Supreme leader, the AAP-led Punjab Govt illegally arrested Times Now Navbharat’s cameraman Mritunjay Kumar and driver Parminder Singh in a fabricated case of a road accident when they along with reporter Bhawana Kishore had gone to cover a political event presided by Arvind Kejriwal in Ludhiana on 5 May. The Punjab and Haryana High Court granted them interim bail on 9 May, emphasizing in its judgment that the arrests were illegal and that the arresting police officer and the remanding magistrate failed to consider relevant provisions of the law.
As innocent individuals, Kumar and Singh have undergone a painful ordeal, enduring mistreatment from the very authorities whose responsibility it is to safeguard their rights. Their distressing encounters, filled with emotional turmoil, depict a deeply moving story for an offense never committed and even if allegedly done is in fact classified ‘bailable’. Recounting their experiences, the duo narrated that while parked on the roadside, an auto rickshaw, with two ladies believed to be AAP workers, first rammed into their stationary car from behind and broke the side mirror of the car. When Parminder, the driver, stepped out to enquire, the ladies created a ruckus and summoned the local police who were already at the location for Bandobast duty. The trio were then coerced by the all male Police force and abruptly taken to the police station without any explanation and without consideration that one of the crew members was a Woman.
The shock and disbelief that gripped Kumar and Singh when they discovered they were being arrested for crimes they did not commit was unfathomable. They were thrust into a nightmarish realm, an overcrowded barrack filled with hardened criminals, including thieves, drug addicts, and individuals convicted of various offenses. Forced to endure 5 excruciating nights, their basic human dignity was stripped away.
Adding to the anguish, Kumar’s son was undergoing brain tumor surgery during this tumultuous period and he had no access to his family at that crucial time. The weight of fear, hopelessness, and helplessness bore down on them as they were completely cut off from the outside world, deprived of any information or updates regarding their case.
The illegal arrest and traumatic ordeal endured by Kumar and Singh have left indelible emotional & psychological scars on them and their families. The humiliation and damage to esteem they experienced while in custody, for offenses they never committed, is irreparable.
These distressing events underscore the torment and harassment inflicted upon the Times Now Navbharat team in the aftermath of “Operation Sheesh Mahal”. The channel is committed to standing up to such bullying tactics at all times and will stay unfazed.
News Broadcasting
News18 India to air Sabse Bada Dangal on 4 May counting day
Channel promises fastest results, live trends and analysis across five states.
MUMBAI: Ballots will do the talking and screens will do the shouting. As counting day approaches for high-stakes Assembly elections across West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry, News18 India is gearing up for an all-day broadcast of its flagship election show, Sabse Bada Dangal, on 4 May from 6 am onwards. The Hindi news channel plans to deliver continuous, real-time updates as votes are tallied, combining live counting data with on-ground reporting and studio analysis. With political fortunes set to shift through the day, the coverage will track every swing, surge and surprise as trends turn into results.
The broadcast will feature a mix of senior political leaders, analysts and experts, offering instant reactions and decoding the evolving electoral picture. Expect heated debates, quick takes and detailed breakdowns as the numbers settle across all five states.
For News18 India, counting day has long been a high-visibility moment. The network is banking on its reporting reach, editorial bandwidth and technology-driven coverage to stay ahead in what is often a fiercely competitive news cycle.
With multiple battlegrounds and shifting narratives, the day promises both drama and data in equal measure. And if all goes to plan, Sabse Bada Dangal will once again turn the counting of votes into prime-time spectacle.
