In a fresh controversy, the office of Focus Plus, a private web channel, was sealed by Capital Police on Sunday after its editor, Sudhanshu Shekhar Rout, could not be traced.
Police acted following a complaint alleging that Raut had defamed and conspired against School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond.
The complaint was registered at Capital Police Station on July 15. Despite the ongoing Rath Yatra and other government duties, police reportedly resumed investigation on the holiday and dispatched a team to the Focus Plus office to arrest Rout. Finding him unavailable, officers sealed the premises before leaving.
Capital Police Station Officer-in-Charge Radhakanta Sahu confirmed that the investigation is underway based on the complaint and that Raut would be arrested soon.
The case stems from Rout’s sharp criticism of the state government over errors in school textbooks. During a public programme, Rout accused Minister Gond of offering him a bribe of Rs 5 lakh to suppress a news report about the textbook mistakes. He claimed the information came from Focus Plus’s Umarkote correspondent.
However, the Umarakote correspondent later went live on Facebook and denied the allegation, stating that the claim was incorrect. In a subsequent viral audio clip involving Rout and one of his representatives, Rout reportedly admitted that his statement was wrong and stemmed from his anger towards the government.
Following these developments, the Department of School and Mass Education issued a letter directing Capital Police to register a case against Rout for spreading defamatory content and misinformation against the Minister. Supporters of the Minister also filed a formal complaint.
After the sealing of the office, reactions have emerged from various quarters. Rout released a video message apologising for his statements and describing the case as a “conspiracy” against him. Many have raised questions about the sudden sealing of a media office and the timing of the investigation.
The incident has triggered intense debate over freedom of the press, accountability of journalists, and the handling of complaints involving media professionals in Odisha.
