A Delhi court today reserved itsorder on two Zee editors' plea to direct police "not to force"them to read extracts from the transcript of a video clip of asting, done by Jindal firm's officials, while taking theirvoice sample in the alleged Rs 100 crore extortion bid case.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Mukesh Kumarreserved the order on pleas by Zee News Editor SudhirChaudhary and Zee Business Editor Samir Ahluwalia for January4.
The editors in their plea said the video which is thesubject matter of probe is in possession of the police andthey cannot ask them to read out its transcript.
"Except this, we can read out anything else," they toldthe court.
Opposing their plea, special public prosecutor RajivMohan said the two editors were summoned yesterday by theCrime Branch to record their voice sample, but they refused todo so.
Mohan told the court that the two refused to give theirvoice sample on their counsel's advice.
Vijay Aggarwal appearing for the editors said, "The DelhiPolice tried to force the two Zee Editors, Sudhir Chaudharyand Samir Ahluwalia, for a voice sample test and asked them toread the same incriminating lines from the transcript."
He said he has doubts that by recording the same line asshown in the video, the agency in future may use this as anincriminating evidence against his clients.
"How can we give evidence against ourselves," he said.
Aggarwal said, "Bring any other book, we will read it. Torecord voice I may be asked to read any other subject orline."
The editors on December 12 while refusing to undergo liedetector test had agreed to undergo the voice sample test.
Public prosecutor Mohan said they were trying to take thevoice sample related to the same incident as it would be easyto establish their alleged involvement in the crime.
"Unless we take the sample, it would be difficult for usto investigate into the matter. We only asked them to read thetext, which is in our possession," Mohan said.
Mohan contended that voice sample should be recorded inthe same pitch and mode to enable us to interpret.
Chaudhary and Ahluwalia were arrested on November 27 on acomplaint by Jindal's firm that they had demanded Rs 100 croreas an advertising deal for not airing negative news againstthe firm in connection with the coal block allocation scandal.
Both Chaudhary and Ahluwalia were later on granted bailon December 17 by the court.
They have been booked under section 384 (extortion), 420(cheating), 120 B (criminal conspiracy) and 511 (punishmentfor attempting to commit offences punishable with imprisonmentfor life or other imprisonment) of the IPC.