Journalist Vinod Verma arrested on allegations of extortion claims he is being framed

Senior journalist Vinod Verma was arrested early on Friday morning from his Ghaziabad residence by the Chhattisgarh Police on charges of extortion.

Ghaziabad: Senior journalist Vinod Verma who was arrested on Friday morning on allegations of extortion has claimed that he is being framed. "The government of Chhattisgarh is not happy with me. Clearly, I am being framed," he said. 

Responding to reports of him being in possession of a CD against a Chhattisgarh government minister, he said, "I have a sex CD of a Chhattisgarh Minister, he is Rajesh Munat & that is why Chhattisgarh government is not happy with me," ANI reported.

Chhattisgarh Police on Friday arrested Verma from the Indirapuram area in Ghaziabad in connection with a case of extortion. He was taken to the Indirapuram Police Station at 3.30 am where he was questioned for hours.

While initial reports suggested that it was a joint operation by the police of both states, the Uttar Pradesh Police clarified it had "nothing to do with it". Rahul Srivastava, PRO at the DGP office in Lucknow, that a case under sections 384 and 506 of the IPC had been lodged against Verma in Pandri police station of Raipur district.

"He's arrested by Chattisgarh police in a case of extortion registered at P.S.Pandri,distt Raipur.(Cr no 340/17,U/S 384 506 IPC)," the UP Police tweeted on Friday. 

The police have reportedly said that Verma was in possession of incriminating CDs of a Chhattisgarh minister. Action against Verma was taken after a complaint was filed by someone one close to the minister. 

The Chhattisgarh government has reportedly claimed that Verma was working with the Congress to defame the BJP. 

In the past, Verma has been associated with Amar Ujala and the BBC. He is a member of the Editors Guild of India and was also reportedly part of a fact-finding team of the Editors Guild which is looking into the intimidation of journalists in Chhattisgarh.