Union minister Piyush Goyal today said NDTV founder Pranoy Roy and his company should face investigation in connection with the alleged loss caused to a private bank, stressing that nobody enjoyed immunity from being probed.
"I don't think anybody should shy away from investigation ... Just because you run a media house or you are a top politician or whatever, this does not give immunity to anyone in this country from investigation," the Energy Minister told reporters here.
"If they are clear everything is alright then obviously the investigation will show everything as alright. There should not be any concerns about that," he said.
His remarks came within hours of the CBI conducting searches at Roy's residence in New Delhi and three other locations for allegedly causing a loss of Rs 48 crore to ICICI Bank.
The NDTV, however, has termed the action by the agency as "witch-hunt" based on "same old, false" accusations.
Ruling out government's role in the matter, Goyal said investigative officers have to pursue all the leads that they receive.
"Therefore, they are doing their job. We are not involved in any investigation. That is for the investigative authorities to do," he said.
Asked whether India would be hit by LNG supply due to Saudi Arabia and key allies cutting ties with Qatar, Goyal replied in negative.
"Not at all, we have not cut any relations with Qatar. So, we have been continuing to get supplies," he said.
Goyal said it is an internal diplomatic issue between those countries including Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and India does not have any view and doesn't not take any sides in this matter.
"We believe in good harmonious relations with all countries with which India has diplomatic ties," he said.
Four Arab nations -- bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates -- have announced they would withdraw their diplomatic staff from Qatar, a gas-rich country and world's top seller of liquefied natural gas (LNG).
They have accused Qatar of supporting extremism.
