Two Journalists : Shazia Nisar and Adarsh Jha Arrested in Noida for Alleged Rs 65 Crore Extortion Bid
Shazia Nisar and Adarsh Jha’s Arrest Triggers Courtroom Drama and Cash Seizure in Rs 65 Crore Extortion Case
Media Ethics in Question as Shazia Nisar and Adarsh Jha Face Serious Charges of Blackmail and Threats
The court places Shazia Nisar and Adarsh Jha under 14 days of judicial custody.
Early on Tuesday June 10, 2025 two journalists Shazia Nisar of Bharat 24 and Adarsh Jha from Amar Ujala’s digital wing were taken into custody by Noida Police in a dramatic development for the Indian media sector. The pair face charges of participating in a purported blackmail and extortion syndicate targeting executives in their own company.
Arrest After Senior Management made Serious Accusations
Following several First Information Reports (FIRs) submitted by Bharat 24 senior management officials the arrests were made. The HR Head Anu Sridhar Consulting Editor Anita Hada and Managing Director have all filed complaints alleging that the two are trying to extort an absurd amount of Rs 65 crore. If their financial demands were not fulfilled the journalists allegedly threatened to fabricate and file criminal cases against senior staff including accusations of rape and sexual harassment.
Legal Actions and Cash Recovery
The allegations were strengthened when a search of Shazia Nisars home turned up Rs 341. 5 lakh in cash is a significant breakthrough. In Gautam Buddha Nagar both journalists were brought before the Civil Judge (Junior Division-II) right away. They have been remanded by the court to judicial custody for 14 days until June 21 2025.
Under the direction of senior attorney Deepak Chauhan the prosecution verified that FIRs had been filed under several Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections. Blackmail criminal intimidation and attempts to damage reputations through unfounded accusations are among the charges listed.
Courtroom Disruption and Rebuttals
After accusations of police misconduct and alleged disruption of the hearing by Shazia Nisar the court proceedings took a drastic turn. The leader of the company she said was falsely framing her and her colleague. But given that several high-ranking executives were involved in submitting the complaints, the judge apparently took the prosecution’s documented threats and extortion attempts seriously.
Read More : Rajasthan is Currently on Red Alert for a Heatwave: What about Delhi?
History of Professional Unrest and Conflicts
Adarsh Jha suggested Shazia Nisar for the position and she joined Bharat 24 in 2022 after a brief stint with Zee Salam. However there have been reports of internal conflicts and conflict with coworkers during her time at Bharat 24. Reports from inside the organization indicate that Nisar had a history of threatening to bring false charges especially in relation to delicate subjects like rape and sexual harassment.
Given this pattern of behavior, the most recent accusations and the confiscation of cash there has been conjecture that the two may have been involved in a broader blackmail scheme that targeted senior executives in media companies.
Continued Investigation and Industry Response
Numerous newsrooms have conducted internal reviews as a result of the arrests which have shocked the media industry. While misconduct should never be accepted due process must be followed to guarantee justice for all parties according to media watchdog organizations and journalist unions which have called for a fair and open investigation.
According to police, more investigation is being conducted to determine whether other people were involved or whether similar attempts have been made in the past. To fully understand the extent of the purported extortion scheme digital evidence communications and financial trails are being examined.
In Indian journalism the arrest of Shazia Nsar and Adarsh Jha represents an uncommon but grave ethical transgression. This case, which is still pending, brings to light the growing concerns about accountability in media organizations as well as the fine line that separates abuse of power from journalistic investigation.
We’re now on WhatsApp. Click to join.
Like this post?
Register at One World News to never miss out on videos, celeb interviews, and best reads.
