Thrissur, 17 September (H.S.): Union Minister and actor Suresh Gopi on Thursday defended the police raid on the office of Reporter TV, saying media organisations and journalists were not exempt from lawful investigation.

Responding to questions about press freedom, Gopi said journalists were citizens like everyone else and that police had the authority to enter and search any premises as part of an investigation.

“When the police search the house of an ordinary citizen, they do not restrict themselves to the courtyard. Mobile phones may be seized, and every part of the house can be examined. Even false ceilings may be opened if investigators suspect that something has been concealed there,” he said.

Gopi argued that such procedures were not introduced recently and had been followed during Income Tax and other official raids for several decades. He said he had been witnessing such searches since childhood and maintained that the same procedures would continue to apply irrespective of the person or organisation involved.

During the interaction, the Union Minister also praised Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan for extending cooperation to him. Gopi said the Chief Minister had offered complete support for his work as a Union Minister and had assured assistance for three major projects.

He, however, declined to disclose details of the proposed projects at this stage. Gopi claimed that the cooperation he was currently receiving from the State government had not been available during the previous 10 years of LDF rule.

Asked about the “Red Book,” Gopi said he had been able to function freely since the new government assumed office and did not want to be dragged into another political controversy.

He urged the media not to attach hidden meanings to his remarks about the Chief Minister or distort them to suit a particular political narrative. Gopi also cautioned journalists against presenting his statements in a manner that could divert attention from their intended meaning.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman