Zee founder Subhash Chandra Goenka on Friday apologised to actor Rhea Chakraborty for making her “an accused” in the Sushant Singh Rajput death case, days after the Central Bureau of Investigation absolved her of all allegations.
Following Rajput’s death in June 2020, mainstream news outlets hounded Chakraborty, his girlfriend at the time, with an aggressive media trial, with many TV channels, including Zee News, implicating her in the actor’s death. Four years later, the CBI, on March 22, filed a closure report in the case, confirming no foul play by Chakraborty.
In a series of tweets, Chandra’s apology acknowledged the CBI report and said, “In retrospect I feel that Rhea Chakarborty was made out an accused by media, led by Zee News through it’s editor & reporters (at that time)”.
In Sushant Rajput murder case, CBI has filed closure report. I believe it is due to lack of credible evidence. No scope for ambiguity, hence it means no case is made out.
— Subhash Chandra (@subhashchandra) March 28, 2025
In retrospect I feel that Rhea Chakarborty was made out an accused by media, led by Zee News through it’s…
2/2
— Subhash Chandra (@subhashchandra) March 28, 2025
Others followed Zee News. As mentor of Zee News, advise them to be brave and apologize. I do apologize to Rhea, even with no involvement of mine.
I am like ‘एक मुख रुद्राक्ष’ बाहर और अंदर एक समान। Call spade a spade. Subhash
Chandra further said that the other media channels had “followed Zee News”. He went on to add, “As mentor [sic] of Zee News, advise them to be brave and apologize. I do apologize to Rhea, even with no involvement of mine.”
He also said, “I am like ‘एक मुख रुद्राक्ष’ बाहर और अंदर एक समान। [one-faced rudraksha, same from inside and out]. Call spade a spade.”
Newslaundry had extensively covered how the mainstream media covered Rajput’s death and the trial against Chakraborty. You can read our reportage and analyses on the issue here.
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