Chandigarh: Cobrapost is back with 49 videos in second part of its’ “Operation 136” investigation maintaining that Indian media houses agreed to run political campaigns, mock opposition leaders and propagate Hindutva for electoral gains, in exchange for money.
Term “Operation 136” corresponds to India’s rank at 136th place in freedom of press ranking index.
Cobrapost’s investigation also includes a sting operation on e-commerce payment giant PayTM, Entertainment network Star India, news network ABP News, The News Indian Express, Zee Group, ABP Andhra, Hindustan Times, India Today, TV – 18, Big FM, The Times Group, Jagran Group, Bharat Samachar, Swaraj Express, Sun Group, Lokmat, TV 5, Dinamalar, K News, India Voice, MVTV, Open Magazine, Bartaman, Dainik Sambad, One Radio, Jupiter and Big FM.
Cobrapost’s investigation titled ‘Operation-136 II’ says that a senior vice president at PayTM allegedly claimed that the e-wallet company had received a call from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), at a time when stone-pelting had reached its peak in the Kashmir Valley.
Ajay Shekhar Sharma, senior vice president and brother of Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma, can be seen telling the Cobrapost reporter, on tape, that the PMO had demanded that PayTM share user data with a political party, so as to identify the stone-pelters.
Though the video shows Ajay Shekhar Sharma purportedly claiming that the PMO asked for data of users, the video does not mention whether or not Paytm complied with the PMO’s alleged demand.
Paytm has released a statement, rubbishing the claims made by Cobrapost.
Over the course of his conversation, Ajay reiterates his relationship with the Sangh.
In another video by Cobrapost, a senior official of the India Today group allegedly agreed to run a paid “advertising campaign” with Hindutva and political overtones in exchange for a sum of Rs 275 crore.
As part of its sting operation, Cobrapost sent their reporter Pushp Sharma under the alias of Acharya Chhatra Pal Atal of the ‘Srimad Bhagvad Gita Prachar Samiti’ to meet Rahul Kumar Shaw, Chief Revenue Officer of the TV Today Group.
Shaw is the official who allegedly agreed to take Sharma’s three-phased proposal forward.
This series of video also show that Cobrapost’s Pushp Sharma meets with Network18 Executive Vice Presidents Priyanka Dutta and Joy Chakraborty.
Both Joy and Priyanka are seen discussing Free Commercial Time and creatives with Pushp.
Cobrapost’s reporter explains how he wants to use polarising tactics ahead of the elections, to which both Executive Vice Presidents agree.
WATCH COBRA POST OPERATION 136 – PART II Video: Watch ALL 49 VIDEOS in this Playlist:-
