Tehelka newsmagazine Wednesday protested the summoning of one of its correspondents by Gujarat Police's anti-terrorist squad allegedly on a complaint by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Jannadas Patel.

In a statement, Tehelka editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal said the move was "clearly designed to harass and intimidate" the correspondent Mahesh Langa.

Tehelka claimed Langa was working on a story regarding a land scam involving Patel.

"As is required of any journalist doing a story, Mahesh attempted to contact the legislator on several occasions to obtain his version. On each occasion, he made it clear that he was representing Tehelka in Gujarat and needed to get the (legislator's) version for the report," the statement said.

Gujarat Police, on the other hand, alleged Patel complained to them that langa had threatened him. An official said the matter was referred to the police by the chief minister's office.

"The matter assumes serious proportions because this kind of complaint could be brought against any journalist asking for a version. Moreover, the fact that the matter has been referred to the anti-terrorist squad speaks for itself," said the statement.

Tejpal said it was unprecedented that a journalist doing his work in normal course should be summoned before such an agency and condemned the police action.