Zee News Channel Editor Dinesh Sharma removed over alleged 'corruption charges'

Last night, Dinesh Sharma was unceremoniously removed as Zee News Channel’s Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal editor – shunted out by the TV Channel on account of delivering a damaging blow to the well-respected news channel’s reputation.Sharma’s dismissal comes after the owner of Zee Channel uncovered instances of extortion by Sharma, who was found to be broadcasting fake news in order to blackmail influential people for monetary gain. The TV Channel, which, with more than 200 million viewers, is one of the largest news networks in India, faced humiliation in 2018 when former Punjab Cabinet Minister Bikram Singh Majithia publicly accused Sharma of demanding Rs 20 crore from him in return for reportage in favour of the SAD Party in the run up to the 2017 Punjab Assembly.After Majithia publicly admonished Sharma, he announced on air his plans to instigate defamation proceedings against Majithia. He likewise published a legal notice, written on 7 August 2018 and addressed to Majithia, demanding that he withdraw his statement and tender an unconditional apology. The legal notice is available here http://www.babushahi.com/full-news.php?id=77173.Majithia responded to Sharma by welcoming the former editor’s threat of pursuing legal action and challenged his integrity further by indicating that he would be able to provide proof of Sharma’s demand for the Rs 20 crore. Sharma declined to follow through and file a case against Majithia, a decision that many viewed as an attempt to save face and as evidence of Sharma’s wrongdoing. Majithia’s public response can be seen in this video.According to reliable sources, Dinesh Sharma has amassed wealth and assets that do not correspond with his declared income. This discrepancy has now been brought to the attention of the Income Tax and ED Department, which has instituted an enquiry against Sharma. The department is also probing into the large sums of money that have allegedly been sent abroad by Sharma.