NEW DELHI: Taking umbrage of what it termed “misreporting,” the Lalit Modi-headed Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) announced it will file a legal suit against the Rajat Sharma promoted India TV Similar action will also be taken against a widely circulated Hindi daily, Punjab Kesari, an official statement from RCA stated.

The statement added that Modi, president of RCA and vice-president of the Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI), has taken “strong exception to the malicious, fabricated (and) distorted reporting” by a section of print and electronic media, while reporting a survey by income tax authorities on RCA office premises in Jaipur on 1 September.

When contacted, India TV said it stands by the story and added it was “duty-bound to report facts without fear or favour, howsoever inconvenient” they may be to the parties who are being probed by income tax authorities in Rajasthan and Mumbai.

RCA has contended that while the aforementioned two media organizations said a raid was conducted in the middle of the night, it was a “routine survey” that did not place in the middle of night.

Apart from some other 'disputed' facts, the regional cricket body, which has been a platform for Modi to contest against some former BCCI officials, also said the visuals telecast were not of the RCA.

Legal counsel for the RCA Mehmood Abdi, was quoted in the official statement as saying, “RCA and Mr. Lalit Modi have decided to take legal action against all such publishers and broadcasters, particularly India TV of Mr Rajat Sharma and Punjab Kesari, for deliberately twisting facts of an interactive session, which took place between the RCA officials and the income tax authorities.”

Pointing out that the tax authorities came for “verification of records”, Abdi said media “preferred” to describe it as “raid and seizure of records and recovery of cash from RCA office.”