TV9 CEO Ravi Prakash booked for forgery: Hyderabad cops on lookout

Ravi Prakash reportedly forged the signature of Alanda Media Entertainments Pvt Ltd. Director Kaushik Rao.

news Crime

A case of forgery has been registered against the Chief Executive Officer of Associated Broadcasting Company Ltd (ABCL), Ravi Prakash by the Cyberabad Cyber Crime police in Hyderabad for allegedly forging the signature of Alanda Media Entertainments Pvt Ltd. Director Kaushik Rao. ABCL runs news channels under the brand name TV9.

Alanda Media Entertainments reportedly bought 90% of ABCL’s shares a few days ago.

According to media reports, after taking over the company, Alanda Media Entertainments wanted to appoint four new directors. However, Ravi Prakash was against this decision and allegedly wrote a letter to the board where he allegedly pretended to be Kaushik Rao and forged his signature, stating that he does not want to be the company’s director.

Accusing Ravi Prakash of fraud, Kaushik filed a complaint with the Cyberabad police.

Based on the complaint, police conducted searches at the TV9 office and Ravi Prakash's residence on Thursday, but Ravi wasn’t to be found. Police personnel have also been deputed at his residence and his office to nab him.

This is not the first time that Ravi Prakash been in trouble.

In 2014, he was arrested by the LB Nagar police in Hyderabad after a petition was filed in court seeking action against the channel head for a show’s episode of a show which allegedly portrayed Telangana legislators in a bad light with ‘derogatory comments’. He was later released on bail.

At the time, a case was registered under Section 504 (intentional insult leading to breach of peace) and 505 (statements conducting to public mischief) of the IPC, besides relevant sections of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995.

TV9 Telugu is owned by ABCL (same as TV9 Kannada). ABCL, which was established in 2003, is one of the leading regional channel broadcasters in India.