Zee’s Subhash Chandra Apologises To Rhea Chakraborty, Blames Former Editor Sudhir Chaudhary
Zee News’ founder and former Rajya Sabha MP Subhash Chandra has publicly apologised to Rhea Chakraborty for the role his channel played in vilifying her during the media trial surrounding Sushant Singh Rajput’s death. Chandra took to social media to express his regret, stating that Zee News, under its then-editor, led the coverage that painted Chakraborty as an accused, setting off a chain reaction across the Indian media.
His post on X read: “In the Sushant Rajput murder case, CBI has filed a closure report due to lack of credible evidence. No scope for ambiguity, hence it means no case is made out. In retrospect, I feel that Rhea Chakraborty was made out to be an accused by the media, led by Zee News through its editor & reporters (at that time). Others followed Zee News. As the mentor of Zee News, I advise them to be brave and apologise. I do apologise to Rhea, even with no involvement of mine.”
The CBI’s closure report, submitted on March 22, 2025, concluded that Rajput’s death was a suicide, dismissing any allegations of foul play. This effectively exonerated Chakraborty and others who had been relentlessly targeted. However, the damage had already been done. The actress endured a brutal media trial, public humiliation, and a 27-day stint in jail as news channels ran speculative narratives, accusing her of black magic, drug abuse, and financial exploitation. The case became one of the most sensationalised events in Indian media history.
At the height of the controversy in 2020, Zee News was at the forefront of aggressive coverage. Sudhir Chaudhary, the channel’s then-editor, amplified conspiracy theories that Chakraborty was responsible for Rajput’s demise. The narrative spread like wildfire, with other channels joining in, leading to hate campaigns, character assassination, and online abuse against the actress. Some anchors went as far as calling her a “witch” and a “gold digger”, while others staged dramatic televised interrogations, all without substantial evidence.
Chakraborty remained silent after the CBI’s findings were made public, but her lawyer, Satish Maneshinde, condemned the way she was treated. In a statement, he said: “Rhea went through untold miseries and was jailed for no fault of hers. The false narrative in the media was totally uncalled for. Innocent people were hounded and paraded before the media and investigative authorities. I hope this does not repeat in any case.”
Feminist lawyer Payal Chawla also criticised the misogynistic undertones of the media coverage, calling it a “deeply troubling” case of public vilification. Many observers noted that Chakraborty was not a powerful name in Bollywood, making her an easy target for those eager to push a sensationalist, TRP-driven agenda.
Following the CBI’s closure report, old news clips and videos of prominent anchors making slanderous allegations against Chakraborty have resurfaced. These clips are being widely shared on social media, with many demanding apologies from the journalists who led the media trial. Actress Dia Mirza called out the news industry for its role in the smear campaign, stating: “You went on a witch-hunt. You caused deep anguish and harassment just for TRPs. Apologise. That’s the very least you can do.”
Journalist Rohini Singh also demanded accountability from news channels, posting on X: “If they have any shame, any shred of human decency, they should issue a grovelling apology for slandering her, telling outrageous lies, and getting her imprisoned only because they were determined to run an agenda.”
Even in Parliament, the issue was raised. Journalist-turned-MP Sagarika Ghose questioned the character assassination Chakraborty had faced, asking: “News channels ran motivated campaigns against her. Today she’s proven innocent. But who will give those years back to her when she endured such humiliation at the hands of the media?”
