AK Saseendran case: Commission report today, media barred from Secretariat

Thiruvananthapuram: The government on Tuesday imposed an unusual restriction on the media reporting the P. S. Antony Commission presenting its report on the honey trap laid against former minister A. K. Saseendran. While intelligence reports of troublemakers sneaking in along the TV crew were cited as the reason, top intelligence sources denied any such alerts.

Usually, media persons, including the channel crew, were allowed to stay on Secretariat premises to cover meetings or other events in which they are not allowed so that they could take comments of the participants while they go into or come out.

But on Tuesday the security personnel blocked channels' vehicles at the main gate as they were going to cover presentation of the report to chief minister. Though many journalists contacted the CM's office, there was no response.

A security officer said only OB vans of channels were restricted and reporters were allowed in. It is not sure whether such restrictions would be there in future, said the official. Sources close to the CM said the recent instance of the mic of a channel reporter brushing on him even after he declined to comment could be the provocation for keeping them out.