Zee founder Subhash Chandra Goenka on Friday apologised to actor Rhea Chakraborty for making her “an accused” in the Sushant Singh Rajput death case, days after the Central Bureau of Investigation absolved her of all allegations.  

Following Rajput’s death in June 2020, mainstream news outlets hounded Chakraborty, his girlfriend at the time, with an aggressive media trial, with many TV channels, including Zee News, implicating her in the actor’s death. Four years later, the CBI, on March 22, filed a closure report in the case, confirming no foul play by Chakraborty. 

In a series of tweets, Chandra’s apology acknowledged the CBI report and said, “In retrospect I feel that Rhea Chakarborty was made out an accused by media, led by Zee News through it’s editor & reporters (at that time)”.  

Chandra further said that the other media channels had “followed Zee News”. He went on to add, “As mentor [sic] of Zee News, advise them to be brave and apologize. I do apologize to Rhea, even with no involvement of mine.” 

He also said, “I am like ‘एक मुख रुद्राक्ष’ बाहर और अंदर एक समान। [one-faced rudraksha, same from inside and out]. Call spade a spade.”

Newslaundry had extensively covered how the mainstream media covered Rajput’s death and the trial against Chakraborty. You can read our reportage and analyses on the issue here.  

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