Mangalam channel phone chat scandal: Pinarayi Vijayan cabinet accepts Justice Antony commission report

Photo: Facebook/AK Saseendran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday said that the state Cabinet has accepted Justice Antony commission report in the Mangalam channel phone chat scandal.

As per earlier reports, the Justice Antony commission report had recommended the cancellation of Mangalam channel's licence and continuation of police cases registered against it. 

The commission was investigating the matter involving allegations of sexual harassment against former Kerala transport minister AK Saseendran. The Justice PS Antony Commission was set up by the state government after a Malayalam television channel had released an audio clip, in which was allegedly speaking inappropriately with a woman.

Claiming that it was Saseendran's voice in the clip, the channel had alleged that he had sought sexual favours from the woman in the video. While Saseendran resigned on 'moral grounds', he dismissed the charges as 'baseless'.

"I have no negative thoughts. I have only positive thoughts about the report," Saseendran had earlier said reacting to the Justice Antony commission report.  

Reacting to the submission of the report, Saseendran said he had appeared before the commission as and when summoned.

"Whatever I knew, I have told the panel," he said.

Justice Antony had earlier said that a comprehensive probe was held and that the Chief Minister will provide report details.

Only 17 of the 22 witnesses appeared before the commission.

"Media should be guided by public interest, not commercial interest...The copies of the report will be sent to the Information and Broadcasting ministry and Press Council of India," he said.

The commission has also made observations on the right to privacy, extent of freedom of media and its misuse, he said.