Senior journalist Rajdeep Sardesai, who currently hosts a prime-time show on India Today, has issued a public apology to former BJP councillor Ajit Singh Tokas for making false corruption allegations against him in 2011 during a programme titled 'IBN7 and Cobra Post Investigation'.
Posting the apology on X, Sardesai wrote that an erroneous claim was made on the channel in the programme 'Delhi's Double Agents', which aired on December 6, 2011 and November 7, 2011. The programme had alleged that Ajit Singh Tokas, then a BJP councillor from Munirka Ward, had demanded money in connection with unauthorised construction in Munirka, the area from which he was elected.
Following the broadcast, the Lokayukta took suo moto cognisance of the sting operation. However, after due adjudication, the Lokayukta passed an order dated 26 March 2012, which held that Tokas had rejected multiple offers of gratification. The order stated there was no evidence on record to substantiate that Mr Tokas ever demanded money in relation to any project. In fact, he had denied the allegations, and the investigation found no such practice was entertained in his Munirka ward by him.
In his apology, Sardesai acknowledged the social and political reputational harm caused to Ajit Singh Tokas by the airing of the programme. He further clarified that the investigation was undertaken by an external agency, and his role was limited solely to anchoring the programme based on the said investigation.
The apology comes more than a decade after the original allegations were broadcast, during which time Tokas's name had been cleared by the Lokayukta's findings.
Soon after his apology post, Rajdeep came under attack from BJP leaders. Responding to the journalist’s post, BJP leader Amit Malviya hit out at him, calling him a “serial fake news peddler.”
In his post, Malviya also referred to previous instances when Rajdeep had issued apologies.
