News Anchor Aman Chopra who screamed “Ashraf, Ashraf” in Mahalaskhmi case, now tight-lipped
Accused Mukti Ranjan Roy was found dead in Odisha
Bengaluru/New Delhi: Aman Chopra, a prominent news anchor with News18 India, is under fire for attempting to communalize the tragic murder of a woman in Bengaluru. The body of Mahalakshmi, 29, was found chopped into 59 pieces inside a refrigerator at her residence on September 21, shocking the city and sparking intense media coverage.
In the early days of the investigation, Chopra focused on Mahalakshmi's acquaintance, a man named Ashraf, attempting to link the crime to what he suggested was a broader pattern of "love jihad," a term used by some to allege that Muslim men target Hindu women in relationships to convert them. On his prime-time show, Chopra repeatedly stressed Ashraf's name, insinuating that the crime had religious undertones.
However, the investigation took a turn when the prime suspect, Mukti Ranjan Roy, was found dead in Odisha. A suicide note discovered near his body revealed that Roy had a close relationship with Mahalakshmi and that a heated argument between the two had led to her death. The note also detailed Roy’s subsequent actions, including dismembering the body and fleeing Bengaluru.
Despite this development, which clearly pointed to a different suspect, Aman Chopra has remained conspicuously silent. His earlier attempts to communalize the case by drawing parallels with the high-profile Shraddha Walker murder case—where the accused was a Muslim—have now come under scrutiny.
This is not the first time Chopra has been criticized for such coverage. In previous instances, he has been accused of using similar tactics to inflame communal tensions by focusing on the religious identity of suspects in unrelated crimes. Critics argue that such coverage not only distorts the facts but also exacerbates divisions in society.
As the investigation into Mahalakshmi’s murder continues, authorities in Bengaluru and Odisha are working to piece together the full story. Meanwhile, the backlash against Chopra’s handling of the case has sparked debates about responsible journalism and the dangers of communalizing criminal cases.
News Anchor at Ambani's Channel @News18India was screaming "Ashraf" and trying to communalise the unfortunate death of Mahalakshmi, Now that it is clear that the accused is Mukti Ranjan Roy, @AmanChopra_ has gone back to his holes. pic.twitter.com/Gh7KHQiDz2
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) September 26, 2024
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Delhi court orders Police probe against Navika Kumar in Arnab Goswami defamation case
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New Delhi: A Delhi court has ordered the police to conduct an investigation against the Times Now Group Editor-in-Chief Navika Kumar, on Tuesday. ARG Outlier Media, owned by journalist Arnab Goswami, had filed a defamation lawsuit against the host of prime time show The NewsHour telecast, reported the Bar&Bench.
Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Sidhant Sihag of the Patiala House Courts used Section 202 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), empowering a magistrate to conduct an investigation before summoning an accused who lives outside the court's jurisdiction.
“Arguments on the point of summoning heard. Accused is stated to be residing beyond the jurisdiction of this court. Given the facts and circumstances, I deem it appropriate that an investigation be carried out in the instant matter u/s 202 CrPC / 225 BNSS,” the order stated. The matter will be taken up next on February 26 with Advocate Ayush Jindal appearing for ARG Outlier Media.
The complaint concerned a Times Now broadcast that was aired on January 18, 2020. According to the lawsuit, while discussing the suspected Television Rating Points (TRP) scandal, Kumar reportedly made defamatory remarks about Goswami on the prime-time show, The Newshour.
The parent company of Republic TV, ARG Outlier, said that the program featured unproven accusations and misrepresented portions of the Mumbai Police charge sheet to harm the name of Republic TV and its editor-in-chief.
The TRP scam surfaced in October 2020. The Mumbai Police said that various channels, including Republic TV, Fakht Marathi and Box Cinema, manipulated ratings by bribing viewers to keep their televisions turned on. A magistrate court in Mumbai allowed the police to withdraw their prosecution in the case in March 2025.
