Former News Anchor Arrested in Bhubaneswar for Harassing Senior Official

Bhubaneswar: A former news anchor, Sribatsa Dhal, was arrested on Friday by Khandagiri Police for allegedly harassing and threatening a senior official, police said. The case was registered on October 5 following a complaint by Deb Narayan Sethi, 54.

According to authorities, Dhal, who had been associated with a local news channel since 2020, allegedly subjected Sethi to repeated harassment. On August 11, during a meeting in the CEO’s chamber related to a complaint filed by a female anchor, Dhal reportedly entered angrily, used abusive language, and threatened Sethi and others present, publicly humiliating him in the lobby in front of onlookers.

Dhal had previously been suspended for similar misconduct and was terminated from his job on August 15. Following his dismissal, he is accused of posting defamatory content about Sethi on social media platforms, including Facebook and YouTube, further exposing the complainant to public abuse and defamation.

Based on preliminary evidence, police confirmed Dhal’s involvement under Sections 351(2) and 296 of the IPC and Sections 3(1)(r) and (s) of the SC & ST (POA) Act. Acting on credible information, he was arrested from Sri Kshetra Vihar in Khandagiri and later produced before the court.

Dhal, 43, is the son of the late Upendranath Dhal and a resident of Plot No.73, Satabdi Nagar, Unit No.8, Baramunda, Bhubaneswar, Khurda district. During the investigation, police seized the complainant’s caste certificate along with Dhal’s appointment letter and salary certificate.

The investigation into the matter is ongoing.