3 held for ‘extortion’; portal editor’s wife points to ‘pieces critical of commissioner’

Three journalists linked to a Noida-based news portal Tricity Today have reportedly been arrested over allegations that they extorted money by threatening businessmen with fake news against them.

These include reporters Dev Sharma and Avdesh Sisodiya, and founder and editor Pankaj Parashar, who is also the president of the Noida Press Club. According to a Times of India report, the FIR was filed after a complaint by a real estate dealer. 

Greater Noida DCP Saad Miyan Khan told the paper that the case was filed under Section 308 (5) of BNS for extortion and threats. Around Rs 6.3 lakh in cash, two luxury vehicles, registration certificates of 14 cars belonging to arrested gangster Ravi Kana, along with 12 photographs and signed documents were recovered from the three, police claimed.

However, Parashar’s wife Anika Gupta denied all the allegations and attributed the arrests to news pieces critical of the police commissioner.

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