In a first in the Indian broadcast news industry, national news channel in English, India Today has taken its consulting editor Rajdeep Sardesai off air for two weeks alongside deduction of a month' salary for posting a misinformed tweet stating a farmer was killed during the tractor rally held in the national capital on Republic Day. However, reports have also stated that the senior anchor has quit the channel several hours after being suspended.
India Today has confirmed his suspension as reported by Wire.in , however, the senior anchor is yet to comment on it. Meanwhile, as per a report by OpIndia said, "Sources claim that termed his suspension and salary cut a big humiliation for him, and he decided to submit his resignation from India Today".
The OpIndia report also mentioned that, "According to sources, Rajdeep Sardesai was found guilty of spreading two major fake news in just one week, after which he was suspended for two weeks by the media house".
During the violent clashes that broke out on January 26, Sardesai in a tweet reported that Navneet Singh, a farmer, had been killed in police firing.
Sardesai had, in a tweet which he later retracted, said, "One person, 45-year-old Navneet killed allegedly in police firing at ITO. Farmers tell me: the 'sacrifice' will not go in vain."
However, the Delhi police clarified that the farmer was killed when his tractor overturned and also released a video. However, there are speculations if the tractor was struck by a tear gas canister.
Sardesai then retracted his statement and said, "While the farm protestors claim that the deceased Navneet Singh was shot at by Delhi police while on a tractor, this video clearly shows that the tractor overturned while trying to break the police barricades. The farm protestors' allegations don't stand. Post mortem awaited."
Furthermore, the journalist also lauded the efforts of the police and said, they showed great restraint in Red Fort and ITO and said "no evidence of bullets fired".
In a live coverage at 5:47 pm on January 26 for India Today, Sardesai said, "These were the allegations that were being made at the time when we were reporting this afternoon. The eyewitnesses and the friends of the deceased, when we spoke to them, they were insistent that a shot had been fired and the tractor overturned because a shot was fired…However, the police version, and particularly the video, makes it very clear that the particular act of the tractor overturning could be the cause of death…The police version appears more credible than what the farm protesters are claiming."
