FYI Kept my appointment with the Crime Branch, Cyber Cell today afternoon. The thrust of the enquiry officer's questions, was primarily about asking me to reveal the identity of the source, who could have given me a copy of an inter-office memo issued by Herald deputy general manager (Sales) Adwait Desai (memo attached), which more than adequately shows that chunks of editorial content in the Herald is subject to screening of the sales department. In response, I said on more than one occasion, that I was not in a position to reveal the name of the source who gave me the memo, citing journalistic ethics, according to which revealing the identity of the source, who has helped to unearth a malpractice, is sacrilege. I also explained that if in the future, reporters were asked to name their sources and were subject to complaints filed by public institutions and private companies for 'stealing' or 'hacking' data, every time a story was filed on basis of leaked documents, it would be impossible for bonfide media to report on issues in public interest. I also said that the case against me filed by Herald amounted to harassment and aimed at targeting whistle blowers in its own organisation who had unearthed a journalistic malpractice. It's ironical that a media house itself is gunning for a journalistic source. That's it for now. And thanks to all those guys who turned at the the Crime Branch in solidarity. Mayabhushan
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