# ABP News apologises for false report on singer Neha Singh Rathore

2026-10-18T15:51:53+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 2 independent outlets

Hindi news channel ABP News has issued a clarification and apology after broadcasting a false report that suggested police had raided a hostel linked to folk singer Neha Singh Rathore as part of a sex racket. The channel had run a nine-second clip on 17 October with a caption implying a sex racket at her hostel. Rathore accused the channel of trying to brand her a prostitute and humiliate her because she questions the government. Hours after the backlash, ABP News admitted the report was incorrect and sought forgiveness. Rathore rejected the apology, saying she would take legal action. Actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut backed Rathore, calling the baseless defamation of any woman despicable and demanding that ABP's head take responsibility, despite their differing political views. The incident has drawn widespread condemnation online. The singer posted on X on 18 October directly asking Ranaut for her stance. Ranaut responded, stating that defaming any woman for TRPs is unacceptable. The National Commission for Women has not yet commented on the matter.

## Indian Opinion Analysis

Orissa Post's coverage led with Kangana Ranaut's support for Neha Singh Rathore, framing the story as a cross-ideological stand by a BJP MP against media defamation. The South First, by contrast, led with ABP News's apology and the singer's legal threat, placing the channel's false report and the criticism from figures like Ravish Kumar at the centre. Orissa Post omits the channel's admission of error and Rathore's planned legal action, while The South First omits Ranaut's intervention entirely. A balanced reading notes that both outlets report the same core incident, a false broadcast and an apology, but Orissa Post foregrounds the political solidarity angle, whereas The South First foregrounds media accountability. Rathore has said she will meet the channel in court, though no date has been set.

## Coverage

Coverage: 2 sources, 1 government-critical, 1 neutral
- orissapost.com (neutral report) <https://www.orissapost.com/kangana-ranaut-backs-neha-singh-rathore-over-alleged-defamatory-report/>
  Led with Ranaut's support, omitted ABP's apology and legal threat
- thesouthfirst.com (government critical) <https://thesouthfirst.com/beyond-south/abp-news-apologises-after-airing-false-sex-racket-report-about-singer-neha-singh-rathore-draws-condemnation/>
  Led with ABP apology, Rathore's legal threat and media criticism

This brief was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry.

Tags: ABP News, Kangana Ranaut, National Commission for Women, Neha Singh Rathore
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Cite: https://indianopinion.org/abp-news-apologises-for-false-report-on-singer-neha-singh-rathore/#story-in-brief

How this brief was made: an AI model read the reports linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. Stance labels are editorial classifications of how each outlet framed this story, assigned by the same model, not ratings of the outlets. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/