ToI challenges FIRs of Police Commissioner in Guj HC

Ahmedabad, Jun 4 (UNI) The Times of India today challenged in the Gujarat High Court the FIRs, with accusations of sedition and criminal conspiracy, lodged by Ahmedabad Police Commissioner O P Mathur against its Resident Editor and a Correspodent.

The petition of the ToI was admitted in the court of Justice Z K Saiyad and is to be heard tomorrow.

The city police chief has filed three FIRs at Navrangpura police station against Resident Editor Bharat Desai and Correpondent Prashan Dayal for publishing a series of articles between May 27-30 stating that he (Mr Mathur) has linkage with under world and the safety of citizens under him is questionable. The FIRs were filed on June 1 and 2.

The newspaper articles had alleged that Mr Mathur had linkd with former underworld don Abdul Latif and was on his (Latif's) pay-roll.

The local media, showing solidarity to fellow scribes and for protection of 'Freedom of Expression' right, has been demonstrating against Mr Mathur the last three days. They today submitted a memorandum to Gujarat Governor Naval Kishor Sharma and Director General of Police P C Pandey, demanding withdrawal of all charges against both the scribes of ToI.

UNI MP OBB SP ND2300