Kerala High Court asks Centre to respond on Reporter TV licence misuse plea

The Kerala High Court has sought the Union government’s response to a petition alleging that Malayalam news channel Reporter TV violated broadcasting regulations. Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas directed the Centre’s standing counsel to obtain instructions on the plea, which challenges the channel’s management and ownership changes.

Alleged unauthorised control transfer under scrutiny

The petition, filed by Sabu M Jacob, Managing Director of Kitex Garments Ltd and president of political party Twenty20, requests the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) to act on his February 2, 2026, representation. Jacob claims Reporter TV’s broadcast licence, originally issued to Indo-Asian News Channel Pvt Ltd, was misused through unapproved changes in control and operations.

Documents cited in the plea indicate attempts in 2023 by K J Jose, managing director of Reporter Broadcasting Company, and shareholder V V Saju to acquire a controlling stake in the licensee company. Security clearance for these changes was denied by the Ministry of Home Affairs on national security grounds. Jacob alleges that, despite this, the channel’s operations effectively moved to Reporter Broadcasting Company Pvt Ltd without prior MIB approval, violating the 2022 Guidelines for Uplinking and Downlinking of Satellite Television Channels.

Supporting evidence includes a January 2023 trademark assignment transferring the “Reporter” mark from M V Nikesh Kumar to K J Jose, and social media and website claims suggesting de facto control by the new entity. Jacob argues the transfer bypassed regulatory restrictions, and he has also filed a defamation suit in the Sub Court, Perumbavoor, where an interim order restrained defendants from making defamatory statements against him and the Kitex Group.

Broader scrutiny over media practices

The court notice coincides with separate concerns about TV ratings manipulation. In November 2025, Twentyfour News reported a TRP scam involving a Kerala news channel and a senior BARC India employee, claiming sensitive location-level data was shared. BARC India confirmed an independent forensic audit and urged the media to avoid unverified claims during the investigation.