Ramoji Rao not responsible for Eenadu news ?

In a case that is almost reminiscent of the Sun tabloid catastrophe that took place couple of years back, Telugu media mogul and Chief Editor of Telugu newspaper, 'Eenadu' Ramoji Rao, took to speaking lies at the Siruguppa Junior Munsif court in Karnataka on Saturday.  

He appeared before the court in relation to a defamation case filed by former minister from Karnataka, Gali Janardhana Reddy. Gali filed the case in 2005, stating that ‘Eenadu’ had published some derogatory news reports against him.   

When asked about the main publication, 'News Today', Rao said, “I am not aware if the office of ‘News Today’ is located in Eenadu premises. I don’t know its director Gopala Rao."   

Infact, the office of ‘News Today’ is indeed located within Eenadu premises in Hyderabad.

For a majority of questions, Rao's replies oscillated between ‘don’t know’ or ‘forgotten’. With this,  the lawyers of Gali, Siddha Reddy and Ravi Chandra, had to ask him whether he was telling lies.    

Some of his answers in the court are as follows. 

-Even though I am the chief editor of the daily, publishing the -news items is left to the discretion of other editorial staff.

-The published item is not defaming any one.

-‘News Today’ is not working under me. It is an independent agency. It is not related to me and we only take items from it(infact, it is part of Eenadu)

-I don’t know the address of ‘News Today’ (it is located in the premises of Eenadu)

He added that, “I have been living in the film city for the last 15 years and not aware of each and every incident that has been taking place in Eenadu."   

“I do not look after each and every news item. I will involve in only editorial and policy matters,” said Ramoji Rao.

The judge adjourned the case till March 22.  

-Sakshipost