Registered A.D./.

Mail

To, Date – 28.08.24 Mr.

General Manager-HR & Authorized Signatory,

Neutral Publishing House Ltd.

Corporate office –

15-P, Kokar Industrial Area,

Ranchi – 834001, Jharkhand

Regd. Office –

2nd floor Hanuman Estate,

19, RN Mukherjee Road,

Kolkata – 700001, West Bengal

Subject: Response to Show Cause Notice dated August 22, 2024

Dear Sir,

I am in receipt of your show cause notice dated August 22, 2024, and wish to respectfully submit my
reply in response to the allegations raised against me.

• Engagement and Responsibilities:

That I acknowledge my engagement with Prabhat Khabar and the responsibilities entrusted to me as
Bureau Chief, Hazaribagh. I have always upheld the highest standards of journalism, honesty, and
ethics in the discharge of my duties. There has been no instance where my conduct has tarnished the
brand value or reputation of Prabhat Khabar.

• Allegations Concerning the NEET Scam and CBI Investigation:

That the notice refers to a matter related to the question paper leak of the medical college entrance
test NEET and mentions the involvement of my brother, Jamaluddin. It is crucial to note that I have
no association with the said scam. Furthermore, my brother's actions, which are independent of my
professional role.

As per Article 21 of the Constitution of India, I have the right to life and personal liberty, which
includes the right to reputation. No adverse inference can be drawn against me merely based on the
familial relationship with the accused. The law requires clear and cogent evidence to attribute any
misconduct to an individual. In this case, there is no evidence to suggest that I was in any way
involved in or aware of the alleged activities of my brother.

1
• CBI Search and Seizure:

That regarding the search conducted by the CBI in the office premises of Prabhat Khabar,
Hazaribagh, I would like to clarify that I was unaware of the specifics leading to the CBI’s interest in
our office. The search and subsequent seizure of documents were conducted by CBI officers in
accordance with their investigative procedures. At no point did I hinder or obstruct the investigation.
The CBI team specifically requested information regarding Jamaluddin, and upon their inquiry, the
relevant details were provided by my staff.

Also , there hasn’t been any media reports present or available in public domain which indicated
about search conducted by CBI in our office so, there is no point of tarnishing of image esteemed
agency.

As per Section 100 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (CrPC), I extended complete cooperation
during the search proceedings. The search memo prepared by the CBI, which you have enclosed,
does not attribute any wrongdoing or non-cooperation on my part. I have not engaged in any
conduct that would constitute gross misconduct or indiscipline.

• Failure to uphold standards of Journalism & not prohibiting Jamaluddin from doing illegal
activities

That I vehemently oppose the allegations upon my failure to uphold standards of Journalism as
Prabhat Khabar has reported arrests and investigation of CBI with heading published indicating
Jamaluddin's name , On daily basis Prabhat Khabar has impartiality published reports about ongoing
investigations which shows that despite of my personal relationship with Jamaluddin and being my
Bureau Chief there is no influence in maintaining standards of Journalism.

*[Newspaper’s cuttings are attached as proof that Prabhat Khabar is reporting ongoing investigation
on daily basis without any partiality despite being my Bureau Chief]

On part of not preventing Jamaluddin from doing or involving in unethical practices I would like to
make in notice that he was a distinguished Staff from last 20 years and his performance as a
Journalist is on record hence seek no clarifications on ground of his professionalism. Furthermore he
is alleged to be involved in NEET paper leak but not yet proved or convicted by any Court, so by mere
allegations it would be premature to get him in accused category. On not preventing him from doing
so , I would like to make it clear that nor I’m his legal guardian neither I’m preventing or influencing
any investigation or professionalism of Jamaluddin.

• Failure to Report the Matter to Management:

That the notice also alleges my failure to report the matter of the CBI search to the management.
However, as the search was related to an investigation concerning my brother and not the
newspaper or its operations directly, furthermore I was physically not present at the time of alleged
search, so their is no point of informing the matter to management.

I understand now that the management would be clear on part to be informed of any such incidents,
and I regret if any is inconvenience caused.

However, it is pertinent to note that there has been no intentional or willful omission on my part to
undermine the management’s trust or to act against the interests of Prabhat Khabar.

• Alleged Violations of Terms of Employment:

2
 That I categorically deny any violation of the terms of my employment or conduct that would
amount to gross misconduct or indiscipline. My commitment to Prabhat Khabar’s principles of
journalism has remained steadfast throughout my tenure. The allegations made in the notice are
based on assumptions and conjecture without any substantial proof or merit.

Under the principles of natural justice, every employee has the right to be heard and to present their
case in an unbiased and fair manner. In this regard, I request the opportunity to present my case
personally to the management and to clear any misunderstandings that may have arisen.

The allegations against me, which suggest that I failed to prevent my brother’s actions or report the
CBI search, are unsubstantiated and potentially defamatory. Such statements could tarnish my
professional image and reputation. I would like to highlight that defamation, as regulated under
Section 499 and Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code, encompasses any wrongful and false
communication that harms a person’s reputation. The implications of such allegations without
concrete evidence are serious and can have far-reaching consequences.

The charges outlined In the notice are based on assumptions and conjectures rather than facts. The
mere association with a family member involved in a legal issue does not implicate me in any
wrongdoing. It is unjust to hold me responsible for actions over which I had no control or knowledge.

In light of the above, I respectfully submit that there has been no misconduct on my part that
warrants any disciplinary action. I remain dedicated to upholding the values and standards of Prabhat
Khabar and request the management to reconsider the contents of the show cause notice.I trust my
explanation is satisfactory and hope for a positive resolution to this matter. I am available for any
further discussions or clarifications that the management may deem necessary.

Thanking you.

Yours sincerely,

Salahuddin, Bureau Chief,

Hazaribagh,[Prabhat Khabar]

Annexure:

3
4
5