This is an archive article published on February 22, 2016
JNU row: Kanhaiya’s bail plea cites reports of ‘doctored’ footage
Kanhaiya has added that examination by “forensic experts” show the video being allegedly doctored. The high court is likely to hear his bail plea Tuesday.
Amitabh Sinha & Debabrata Mohantynew Delhi, Bhubaneswar, New Delhi | February 22, 2016 02:25 AM IST
3 min read
Whatsapp
twitter
Facebook
Reddit
Kanhaiya’s bail plea is likely to be heard by the high court Tuesday. (Express Photo by Praveen Khanna)
In his plea seeking bail, JNU students’ union president Kanhaiya Kumar has cited media reports of footage of seditious comments being doctored.
He has told the Delhi High Court “detailed voice examination” carried out by India Today has “concluded that the footage is doctored”. Kanhaiya has added that examination by “forensic experts” show the video being allegedly doctored. The high court is likely to hear his bail plea Tuesday.
The video he refers to relates to one aired by Zee News on February 10. The video showed people purportedly shouting “Pakistan Zindabad” slogans at a meeting on JNU campus on February 9 to mark Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru’s hanging. Based on this video, Delhi Police had registered a suo motu FIR.
Story continues below this ad
“That on 19.02.2016, it was reported in The Indian Express newspaper that the possibility of the video, wherein seditious statements have been attributed to the Petitioner, cannot be ruled out as being doctored. In fact, India Today has carried out a detailed voice examination of the allegedly seditious footage, along with forensic experts, and has concluded that the footage is doctored. Copy of the news clippings, are annexed herewith,” states Kanhaiya’s bail plea.
[related-post]
The Sunday Express reported Delhi Police have asked Zee News for their reporter’s camera and original chip containing footage of the alleged anti-national slogans raised on the JNU campus on February 9. The request came just days after questions were raised over the authenticity of another video broadcast on news channels showing Kanhaiya shouting ‘pro-Kashmir’ slogans. The video went viral on social media.
Kanhaiya has also told the high court that the National Human Rights Commission has “severely castigated the police for dereliction of duty” and concluded that events (assault) that took place at Patiala House Courts was “a major security lapse”.
In his bail plea, Kanhaiya has also pointed to Delhi Police Commissioner B S Bassi statement that they would not oppose bail to him. “That on 17.02.2016, it was widely reported by the press that Sh. B.S. Bassi, the Delhi Police Commissioner, gave a statement that if the Petitioner applied for bail, the Delhi Police was not going to oppose it,” states Kanhaiya’s bail plea.
Story continues below this ad
“Considering the nature of allegations, there is not even a remote possibility of tampering any material or influencing any witness. In these circumstances, the petitioner is entitled to be released on bail on such terms as may be deemed appropriate by this court. The petitioner has deep roots in society and there is no fear of his absconding if he is enlarged on bail in the present case,” the plea added.
Kaunain Sheriff M is an award-winning investigative journalist and the National Health Editor at The Indian Express. He is the author of Johnson & Johnson Files: The Indian Secrets of a Global Giant, an investigation into one of the world’s most powerful pharmaceutical companies.
With over a decade of experience, Kaunain brings deep expertise in three areas of investigative journalism: law, health, and data. He currently leads The Indian Express newsroom’s in-depth coverage of health.
His work has earned some of the most prestigious honours in journalism, including the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism, the Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA) Award, and the Mumbai Press Club’s Red Ink Award.
Kaunain has also collaborated on major global investigations. He was part of the Implant Files project with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), which exposed malpractices in the medical device industry across the world. He also contributed to an international investigation that uncovered how a Chinese big-data firm was monitoring thousands of prominent Indian individuals and institutions in real time.
Over the years, he has reported on several high-profile criminal trials, including the Hashimpura massacre, the 2G spectrum scam, and the coal block allocation case. Within The Indian Express, he has been honoured three times with the Indian Express Excellence Award for his investigations—on the anti-Sikh riots, the Vyapam exam scam, and the abuse of the National Security Act in Uttar Pradesh. ... Read More
3 min read
Kanhaiya’s bail plea is likely to be heard by the high court Tuesday. (Express Photo by Praveen Khanna)
