NEW DELHI, Jan 25:
A Delhi court today fixed March 19 for recording statements of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) members on a criminal defamation complaint against the CEO of a news portal for releasing a “doctored” video allegedly showing some party candidates accepting funds through illegal means before the recently concluded assembly polls.
Metropolitan Magistrate Akash Jain fixed the matter for pre-summoning evidence on request of the complainants, AAP and its member Dinesh Mohania, who sought more time to prove their allegations that accused had defamed them by making a false and forged video.
“Complainant and his counsel request for giving a date for leading pre-summoning evidence (PSE) in the present matter in order to prove his allegations against the accused persons. On request, fix the matter for PSE on March 19, 2014,” the court said.
Advocate V K Ohri, who appeared for complainants, alleged that the video of sting operation against the party has been forged and tampered with due to which charges under sections 464 (making a false document) and 469 (forgery for purpose of harming reputation) of the IPC are also made out.
On November 27, 2013 the magistrate had said that he would go through the plea first before proceeding ahead with the complaint case.
Ohri, on that day, had alleged that the doctored CD was shown on TV to defame the party and its candidates prior to the Delhi assembly polls.
He had also alleged that Congress and BJP does not want AAP to “gain momentum” before the upcoming polls and the media portal circulated the CD containing defamatory allegations against the party and its candidates.
The counsel had also said they have got the raw footage of the alleged sting operation from the Election Commission and the court should go through it as it would make it clear that editing was done in the footage which was shown on TV.
Besides Anuranjan Jha, CEO of news portal Media Sarkar, AAP has also named two officials of a private news channel as accused in its complaint, saying they constantly carried the story based on alleged sting operation without verifying its “veracity”.
The plea was filed by AAP and Mohania, who successfully contested the Delhi assembly polls from Sangam Vihar constituency on AAP’s ticket.
In its plea, AAP has claimed that Jha had released the “edited CD” which “appears to be doctored” and it was damaging for the party as it lowers their image in the eyes of general public.
The sting operation alleged that several AAP leaders, who were contacted for helping recover money from some individuals and getting through some controversial land deals, readily agreed to extend their support in return for donations in cash to the party.
The charges have been dismissed as baseless by AAP. (PTI)
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