Court to consider complaint against channels over doctored video

New Delhi, April 25 (IANS) A court here on Monday fixed May 26 for considering a complaint against three news channels which allegedly ran doctored videos of the JNU controversy.

The complaint was filed by the Delhi government seeking action against Zee News, NewsX and India News for broadcasting alleged doctored videos of the February 9 incident at the JNU where "anti-India" slogans were said to have been raised.

Delhi government's counsel N. Hariharan told the court that the accused knowingly and with malicious intent caused damage to the JNU students and the university and disrupted communal harmony and security in Delhi by transmitting a forged, fabricated, doctored and altered video.

He added that the doctored video was shown as genuine.

"The accused persons are therefore liable for prosecution under Sections 465 (punishment for forgery) and 471 (using as genuine forged document or electronic record) of the Indian Penal Code," the counsel added.

In the plea, the government sought action against the editors-in-chief, managing directors and directors of the news channel and two companies Zee News Media Corp Ltd and Information TV Pvt Ltd.

A magisterial report submitted to the Delhi government on March 2 said that "no direct link" had been found between JNU Students Union president Kanhaiya Kumar and the anti-India sloganeering of February 9.

It said seven videos related to the JNU incident were sent to Truth Labs, Hyderabad, of which three were found to be doctored. "In those doctored versions, video has been edited and voices added."

The report added that the role of Umar Khalid, another JNU student accused of raising anti-India slogans, needed to be further investigated.

On February 9, an event was organised at the JNU to commemorate the third anniversary of the execution of parliament terror attack convict Afzal Guru.

At the event, anti-India slogans were allegedly raised, following which Kanhaiya Kumar was arrested on charges of sedition.

Kanhaiya Kumar was granted bail for six months by the Delhi High Court on March 2. Later, Khalid and another JNU student, Anirban Bhattacharya, also got bail.