4 The Sun journalists arrested following News International's 'draining the swamp' move

London, Jan 29 (ANI): The British Police has arrested four senior journalists from The Sun newspaper on suspicion of making illegal payments to police officers.

The journalists, who were closely associated with former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks, were detained following a series of raids after information was handed to Scotland Yard by News Corporation, the British tabloid's parent company.

According to The Telegraph, one of the arrested journalists is believed to be Fergus Shanahan, 57, who was Brooks' deputy during her editorship of The Sun from 2003 to 2009.

Another executive said to have been arrested is Graham Dudman, 49, who held a series of senior jobs with The Sun and was promoted from an assistant editor to managing editor under Brooks in 2004.

Chris Pharo, 42, who was promoted by Brooks from news editor to head of news in 2007, was also reportedly arrested, along with Mike Sullivan, 48, the paper's long-serving crime editor.

A source familiar with the workings of News Corporation's Management and Standards Committee (MSC), set up last July to oversee the company's response to the police investigation, described the process as "draining the swamp".

"This is a mark of the absolute determination of News Corporation to drain the swamp," the paper quoted the source, as saying.

According to the report, all four journalists were arrested on suspicion of corruption, aiding and abetting misconduct in a public office and conspiracy in relation to both those offences.

They are currently being questioned at police stations in London and Essex.

A 29-year-old police officer from the Met's Territorial Policing command was also arrested at the central London police station where he worked, on suspicion of corruption, misconduct in a public office and conspiracy. (ANI)

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