NEW DELHI: Even as senior mediapersons rallied behind NDTV following raids by the Central Bureau of Investigation and several media bodies held protest meetings, the Foreign Correspondents Club of South Asia pointed out that the Government and CBI have said the raids had nothing to do with freedom of press.

In a terse statement, the FCC also pointed out that the Press Club of India and other organisations had not invited it to join the protest rallies. However, it said ‘We are for the freedom of the press.”

Information and broadcasting minister M Venkaiah Naidu had last week denied any political interference in the CBI raids on NDTV's Prannoy Roy, and said that the law would take its own course.

The CBI had registered a case against the pioneers of Indian television NDTV founder Roy and Radhika Roy for causing an alleged loss to a bank. Searches were reportedly conducted at the residence of the Roys in New Delhi and three other places including Dehradun.

Naidu had told reporters: “If somebody does something wrong, but simply because they belong to media, you cannot expect the government to keep quiet."

Stressing that the media is free and independent, he said the officials were doing their duty. "The CBI might have received some information. That is why they have taken action," Naidu said.

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Update: No politics in raids at NDTV offices, CBI must have received some info, says Naidu