SpeakAsia panellists accuse EOW of harassment, move court

A group of over 15 lakh panellists of Singapore-headquartered SpeakAsia Online company has moved the Bombay High Court, claiming that officials of the Economic Offence Wing (EOW) of the city police are harassing them with repeated attempts to extort money.

The panellists have in their writ filed in court claimed being threatened of being booked in a criminal case if they didn’t cough up the money demanded by the police. While over 150 panellists have so far been called in for questioning by the city police, a senior EOW official denied the charge saying it was aimed at derailing the ongoing probe, sources said.

Represented by Melwyn Crasto and Ashok Bahirwani, president and secretary respectively of the All-India SpeakAsia Panellists Association (AISPA), the association with a 15-lakh members, including over 3.5 lakh in Mumbai alone, has charged the police of using the company’s seized records to target members of the general public, who constitute the panellists.

Biz Basket Updates:13th feb

As you all know that we have almost won the case in supreme court of India and the company is moving very fast towards the normalization of its operations. At this critical point of time all the entities (particularly "TRP hungry media") with vested interests want to confuse the panelists of Speak Asia by spreading false rumors.

Through this platform we want to make you all aware about the steps taken by our panelist association AISPA for the welfare of entire panelist community of India. For detail please go through the recent article dated 11/02/2012 on www.aispa.co.in by the secretary Mr. Ashok Bahirwani. This association is a legal entity and more than capable to safeguard the interests of the entire Speak Asia family.

SpeakAsia: Aaj Tak Telecast

Yesterday (8th Feb) at 11:30 p.m AajTak showed a short report on speakasia regarding court decision.

SpeakAsia Official Updates-8th Feb,12

After two months of complete ignorance the management of speakasia has finally bothered to intimate its panelists with the latest updates.Here is the update released by speakasia team:

SpeakAsia Updates 8th Feb,12

On the petition filed by 115 panelists, Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the appointed mediator of the case to deposit a sum of 50 crores to Apex Court Secretary General in A bench of Justices Dalveer Bhandari and Dipak Verma gave time of 2 weeks to submit the above mentioned amount and it will be used for the repayment of subscription fee given by the panelists.

Further hearing of the cases are as follows:

16th Feb,12- Bombay High Court hearing of the case filed by AISPA (WP/3611/2011).

17th Feb,12-Bombay High Court hearing of the case filed by SpeakAsia against Multi Screen Media Pvt. Ltd (for R.K.Laxman ki Duniya).