Commissionerate Police Raid Ortel Office In Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar: The Commissionerate Police on Saturday conducted a raid on the head office of Ortel Communications at Chandrasekharpur here.

A Police team led by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Rabindra Satpathy raided the establishment and verified several documents and papers.

The move came after a complaint was lodged by Sony Network against Ortel Communications at Chandrasekharpur police station on Friday, alleging contract violation.

The Sony Network authorities accused Ortel of continuing to broadcast their channels even after expiry of the agreement.

Briefing mediapersons, Bijay Kumar Swain, Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Ortel, dismissed the allegation.

“Sony TV has lodged a complaint with the Chandrasekharpur police alleging that Ortel was streaming their channels after the expiry of the agreement which is false and baseless. The fact is the Sony TV officials, during negotiation, demanded more money to which Ortel did not agree. Later, we mailed the Sony TV informing them that we are shutting down their channels as the renewal of the agreement could not be made,” Swain added.

He further alleged that the 7-member police team, including the IIC of Chandrasekharpur police station, ACP, a lady police officer and an expert IT member of the Crime Branch, had shut down the Ortel office for over six hours since 10 am.

“The team is telling us that it is investigating into the allegations and asking us to hand over all Sony TV boxes and the antennas which will be seized. They are now telling us that they will seal the Ortel office following the order from the top level. We don’t know what crime we have committed for which the police would seal the office. If the office is sealed, lakhs of Ortel customers in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Khurda would be deprived of Ortel service,” Swain pointed out.

Meanwhile, DCP Anup Sahoo said that the matter, which is a technical issue, is under investigation.