New Delhi: Those who โshared documentsโ on the controversial TV anchor Sudhir Chaudharyโs latest job with the national broadcaster DD News may face an FIR under the Official Secrets Act (OSA) by the Delhi Police, sources have told The New Indian.
Delhi Police has confirmed receiving a complaint, adding they may question up to 15 people in connection with the case, including Chaudhary.
โThis is a case fit under the Official Secrets Act (OSA). Once preliminary investigations are complete, we will decide on filing an FIR under relevant sections of the act. Senior officials are closely monitoring the matter due to its seriousness,โ the source added.
Authorities are also considering writing to WhatsApp to obtain data from specific phone numbers suspected of leaking the classified Prasar Bharati documents. โSince the leak occurred via WhatsApp, we need the chat history of these numbers to determine further action,โ a source said.
Chaudharyโs new show is likely to replace the popular host Ashok Srivastavaโs show Do Took.
Srivastavaโs recent book Modi vs Khan Market Gang had created huge waves across the political spectrum.
Srivastava is also known for his clean image and high standards of probity as a journalist.
There are murmurs within DD by several employees, of criticism and strong dislike for the move of appointment of Chaudhary at the astronomical contract amount.
The New Delhi District Police received a complaint regarding the allegation of breach of confidential Prasar Bharati documents.
Netizens on social media, however, have strongly rebuked both Prasar Bharti that is the parent organisation of Doordarshan, as well as Delhi Police for deciding to proceed with the FIR as they said that the accountability of taxpayersโ money is supreme and a contract of value, that is estimated to drill a hole in DDโs coffers by Rs 15 crore, is unprecedented and unwarranted.
Oh no I upset โฆโฆ@prasarbharatiโฉ & their โsecret planโ by exposing the sweetheart deal of โน 15 crores to ex jail bird Sudhir Chowdhary. Instead, of cancelling the loot at tax payer expense they have chosen to shoot the messenger & file a police complaint against me pic.twitter.com/Bcf7v1bIDB
โ Swati Chaturvedi (@bainjal) March 29, 2025
Here is what Choudharyโs former colleague and former host at Zee News, Swati Chaturvedi had posted on X โOh no I upset โฆโฆ@prasarbharatiโฉ & their โsecret planโ by exposing the sweetheart deal of โน 15 crores to ex jailbird Sudhir Chowdhary. Instead, of cancelling the loot at taxpayer expense they have chosen to shoot the messenger & file a police complaint against me,โ
Chaudhary once faced prosecution in an alleged extortion case and was lodged inside Tihar Jail. The complainant in the case was Jindal group.
Later, in 2018, the Jindal group informed the probe agency that they reached a settlement with Choudharyโs then employer Zee Hews.
Sources stated that senior officials of the New Delhi Police have also additional sought legal advice on the matter on recording statements.
The complaint, accessed by The New Indian, read: โA confidential agenda note meant for the Prasar Bharati Board was leaked and circulated on social media. A screenshot of the post on platform X is attached. The document appears to have been leaked via WhatsApp, possibly from within the organization. An FIR should be registered to identify the source of the media leak, and the matter must be investigated.โ
DCP (New Delhi) Devesh Mahla was informed about the leak while complaint was filed by Ritesh Chaudhary, Director (News) of DD News, on behalf of the Director General, DD News.
