New Delhi: The Union I&B ministry has initiated the process to review the approvals given to a newspaper, Sach Kahoon, considered close to convicted godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim’s Dera Sacha Sauda in Sirsa.

Sources stated that a team of officials has been constituted to review the approvals for advertisements given to Sach Kahoon. The newspaper has seven editions and is published in Hindi and Punjabi, and claims a circulation of over one lakh.

Sources stated that the officials are expected to check the credentials and seek fresh documentation, including the claims of circulations made by the media organisation.

In August, the Dera Sacha Sauda chief was convicted of rape and sentenced to 40 years in prison by a special CBI court.

Sources stated that the I&B ministry has also initiated the process of strengthening of Registrar of Newspapers in India by deputing officials from Press Information Bureau across the country to help review the registration process of newspapers.

The decision was taken after new guidelines for the government advertisement allocation were issued by the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity, which had sought fresh verification of circulation of newspapers through the RNI or the Audit Bureau of Circulation.

In all, about 50,000 newspapers across the country have been applied for review the registration process of newspapers to help enable them to apply for government advertisements.