Zee Media Corporation has terminated Zee Punjab/Haryana/Himachal Editor Jagdeep Singh Sandhu from employment due to his alleged unethical dealings with an unnamed political party. In a statement, the company said Sandhu has been terminated from service with effect from 28th March.
"Through this notice, the concerned and public at large are hereby informed that Jagdeep Singh Sandhu, with last known residence address - Sector 91 Mohali 160062, who an employee and Editor of the channel ‘ZEE PUNJAB HARYANA HIMACHAL’, Zee Media Corporation Limited, has been terminated from his employment with effect from 28.03.2022. It has been brought to the notice of the management of Zee Media that “Jagdeep Singh Sandhu” allegedly entered a clandestine understanding with a political party contesting Punjab Assembly Elections 2-3 months back," Zee Media in a statement.
The statement added that the deal involved Jagdeep doing "biased reporting on ZEE PHH in favour of such political party, bypassing the organisation’s policy to remain neutral and impartial all the time or otherwise & they supposedly agreed to grant him a Rajya Sabha nomination”.
The company also stated that the political party is believed to have backed out & is not fulfilling its part of the deal. "Jagdeep was exposed in front of the management of Zee Media, as he suddenly wanted to persuade the management to publish stories against the said political party. “Such act by Jagdeep is seen as not only, unlawful, and unethical journalistic practice, but it also amounts to defrauding and misleading the viewers of the network,” said a Zee Media spokesperson.
Zee Media cautioned the public Sandhu has no authority to represent the company and to enter into any arrangement/agreement/transaction/deal of whatsoever nature with anyone on behalf of the Company or to receive any money/other consideration for and on behalf of the company.
"Public/Political Parties/Media or any other related are alerted and cautioned through this Notice, not to enter any transaction with Jagdeep on behalf of Zee Media in any manner and Zee Media shall not be responsible and liable for any act done by Mr. Jagdeep Singh Sandhu," the company stated.