---
title: "Keli Condemns Police Action at Reporter TV News Desk, Calls It a Threat to Media Freedom"
english_title: "Keli Condemns Police Action at Reporter TV News Desk"
publisher: "Truevision English News"
canonical_url: "https://english.truevisionnews.com/news/382989/keli-condemns-police-action-reporter-tv-news-desk"
published_at: "2026-09-16T20:41:00+05:30"
category: "Kerala"
language: "en"
image: "https://cf.zdn.im/img/truevisionnews.com/0/image-uploads/6aaab3716a817_keli-condemns-police-action-reporter-tv-news-desk.jpg"
keywords: ["Reporter TV", "Police Action", "Media Freedom", "Keli", "Kerala Police", "Press Freedom"]
---

# Keli Condemns Police Action at Reporter TV News Desk, Calls It a Threat to Media Freedom

> **Lead Summary:** **Riyadh:** The Keli Kala Samskarika Vedi has criticised the police action at the news desk of Malayalam news channel Reporter TV, describing it as a warning to the media and a sign of the challenges that media organisations and democracy may face in Kerala in the coming days.

## Article Content

**Riyadh:** The Keli Kala Samskarika Vedi has criticised the police action at the news desk of Malayalam news channel Reporter TV, describing it as a warning to the media and a sign of the challenges that media organisations and democracy may face in Kerala in the coming days.

In a statement issued by its secretariat, Keli alleged that the police action, carried out in the name of an investigation, disrupted the functioning of the channel’s news desk. The organisation said that entering a news desk and occupying the editor’s chair while carrying out an inspection was an unprecedented form of action.

Keli alleged that the government, which came to power after making promises and was moving ahead with measures that it described as anti-people even before completing four months in office, was attempting to silence those who point out its shortcomings.

The organisation said that even if the police carried out what it described as high-handed or intimidating actions, such actions could not be justified. According to Keli, the incident went beyond an investigation or inspection and had become a warning to media organisations. It alleged that such actions conveyed a message that media organisations should function as subordinates praising the government.

Keli also said that action against media institutions for expressing disagreement or criticism could not be accepted. It stressed that cases and inspection procedures should be carried out in accordance with legal procedures. Entering a media organisation’s news desk and disrupting its functioning during an investigation, it said, was inconsistent with democratic norms.

The organisation further referred to an alleged statement by a prominent UDF leader during the Assembly election period that Reporter TV would be shut down if the UDF came to power. Keli said the present police action should be viewed seriously in that context.

The organisation also alleged that previous attempts to respond to criticism by removing news cards and filing cases against those who reacted had only intensified public anger. It said that directly interfering with the functioning of a media institution in the name of tracing a news source amounted to an abuse of authority, particularly when legal avenues were available for such an investigation.

Keli condemned what it described as excessive police action and called on democratic society to remain vigilant in protecting media freedom and freedom of expression.The police action at Reporter TV’s Kochi office on September 16 was part of an investigation linked to the controversy surrounding the proposed Messi-Argentina football event in Kerala. Police said the search was conducted under a magistrate-issued warrant and denied that newsroom operations were disrupted, while the channel and others alleged that journalists’ phones were taken and that broadcasting was affected.

### Related Links & Sources
- [Original Story Source](https://english.truevisionnews.com/news/382989/keli-condemns-police-action-reporter-tv-news-desk)