Judge, Jury and Executioner?

Aaargh! I can't take it any more! The Tamil sleaze mags are bad enough, and then there are pseudo-newsmags like "Nakkeeran" who make all those National Enquirer alien specials look like responsible journalism, but does Zee news have to turn into a propaganda machine for the rakshasaas too?

On the Hindi news broadcast tonight (December 19th) Zee news ran a clip on the Sankaracharya case that was so full of outright lies that I had half a mind to call them up and cancel my subscription like NOW...

I settled for a letter for right now. Here's a copy, in case y'all feel like dropping them a line, you know?

Dear Zee news Editor:

I was horrified to hear your reportage on the Sankaracharya case tonight (December 19th) on Zee News. On the news broadcast that airs on DISH Network at 8:30pm MST in the USA, Zee News ran a brief clip on the arrest of Appu, prime accused in the Sankaracharya. The report was so full of misinformation, that I had to conclude your reporters in India know less about it than I do following reports on the web from half way across the world! Much to my shock, ZEE news identified the victim, Sankarraman as a MANAGER OF THE Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham! But the victim was NOT an employee of the Mutt at all! He managed the Varadaraja Perumal temple, one of the famous temples in Kanchipuram.

You stated an *allegation* as though it were *fact. The police *allege* that Appu took money from Sankaracharya in order to arrange the murder. But your reporter stated it as though it were established *fact*! When the matter is still to be established at trial, and when you have not bothered to report the other side of the story, such reporting on a matter still under investigation, is irresponsible to the core.

Your reporter stated that Sankaracharya denies knowledge of Appu, and went on to claim that police stated they could prove the close association between the two. As any of us following the news reports know that although Sankaracharya said he did not remember anyone by the name of "Appu" (except for a baby elephant in the temple across from the Mutt), when police showed him pictures of the man, it is reported that Sri Jayendra Swami immediately recognized him as "Krishnaswamy", who visited the Math.

Third, you reported that Appu had been denied permission to travel to America for health reasons. This is also incorrect. Appu was granted permission on Nov. 4, 2004 to travel to America for three months by the Madras High Court, after he was let out on bail on a POTA offense! The permission was only revoked recently

It would appear you have not bothered to do even a minimum amount of fact-checking before airing this report. You owe your viewers, the entire legal system in India and most of all those directly affected by this case - victim and accused alike, a correction and an apology!

Please retract your incorrect reports immediately and in a prominent time-slot! And please, check the facts before you report them! Your viewers deserve it!

Sincerely,

UPDATE: Email contact for Zee news: inews@zeenetwork.com