AAP files defamation suit against media outlets
27 Nov 2013 5:26 AM IST
Aam Aadmi Party has filed a defamation suit against journalist Anuranjan Jha, who released the sting operation, which showed AAP leaders allegedly accepting a donation without verification. The party also sued ‘India News’ channel in relation to the case. AAP is now planning to sue two more news channels who allegedly played the sting CD ‘substantially’, said party leader and lawyer Prashant Bhushan, in a press conference held at its Connaught Place office on Monday.
The defamation suit comes just a day after AAP said that the footage in the sting operation were doctored and important parts were deleted and edited to show the party members in poor light. The findings by the party were a result of an internal investigation. AAP member Yogendra Yadav said, ‘We are disappointed that media is not showing the truth with the same passion as they had shown the alleged sting operation’.
According to the party leader the defamation case was filed by AAP national secretary Pankaj Gupta. The case will be heard in court on 27 November. According to the AAP petition, the sting operation CD was released to the media by Anuranjan Jha, CEO of Media Sarkar. The footage was run by India News editor-in-chief Deepak Chaurasia and CEO Vinod Sharma (Congress MLA from Haryana), who is the father of Manu Sharma, convicted for the murder of Jessica Lal.
‘One of the TV channels, without verifying the veracity of the said video, is constantly carrying the said story on its channel since the time it has come out is India News,’ said Yadav.
The party further said the trio damaged the reputation and the image of the AAP. ‘Act of the accused is clearly malafide and calculated to defame the complainant in the eyes of voters of Delhi, where assembly elections are going to take place on 4 December,’ the petition said.
‘Therefore, the accused have committed an offence of defamation under section 500 (defamation) of the India Penal Code,’ it said. A team led by AAP leader Yogendra Yadav examining the footage said that the CD containing the 14-hour-long footage had a ‘lot of problems.’
The defamation suit comes just a day after AAP said that the footage in the sting operation were doctored and important parts were deleted and edited to show the party members in poor light. The findings by the party were a result of an internal investigation. AAP member Yogendra Yadav said, ‘We are disappointed that media is not showing the truth with the same passion as they had shown the alleged sting operation’.
According to the party leader the defamation case was filed by AAP national secretary Pankaj Gupta. The case will be heard in court on 27 November. According to the AAP petition, the sting operation CD was released to the media by Anuranjan Jha, CEO of Media Sarkar. The footage was run by India News editor-in-chief Deepak Chaurasia and CEO Vinod Sharma (Congress MLA from Haryana), who is the father of Manu Sharma, convicted for the murder of Jessica Lal.
‘One of the TV channels, without verifying the veracity of the said video, is constantly carrying the said story on its channel since the time it has come out is India News,’ said Yadav.
The party further said the trio damaged the reputation and the image of the AAP. ‘Act of the accused is clearly malafide and calculated to defame the complainant in the eyes of voters of Delhi, where assembly elections are going to take place on 4 December,’ the petition said.
‘Therefore, the accused have committed an offence of defamation under section 500 (defamation) of the India Penal Code,’ it said. A team led by AAP leader Yogendra Yadav examining the footage said that the CD containing the 14-hour-long footage had a ‘lot of problems.’
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