Framed By Press; Delhi Police Case Based On Truncated Speech Clips Shown By Republic TV, News18 : Umar Khalid In Bail Hearing

Seeking bail in the Delhi riots larger conspiracy case involving charges under UAPA, student activist Umar Khalid told a Delhi Court that the entire chargesheet filed by Delhi Police in FIR 59/2020 is a fabrication and that the case against him is based on the video clips run by Republic TV and News 18 showing a truncated version of his speech. Refuting the prosecution's allegations, Senior Advocate Trideep Pais argued before Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat that news channels Republic TV and News 18 ran truncated version of a speech delivered by Khalid at Amravati, Maharashtra on February 17 last year. "Delhi police has nothing but Republic TV and CNN-News18 for the case", the lawyer submitted. Pais alleged that News18 omitted a crucial statement made by Khalid regarding need for unity and harmony from the video telecasted by it.As regards, Republic TV, Pais read out a reply letter from the channel in which it stated that its clip was based on a tweet made by BJP member Amit Malviya. Pais read out to the Court the reply given by Republic TV to a demand made by police under Section 91 CrPC for a copy of the video footage. "The footage was not recorded by our cameraperson. It was tweeted by Mr. Amit Malviya..", the reply by Republic TV said. Calling it a "death of journalism" in India, Pais remarked,"Your material is a YouTube video which is copied from a tweet. The journalist did not even have the responsibility to go there. It's not a journalistic ethic. This is death of journalism." Pais further alleged that News 18 channel deleted sentences from the speech, thus changing its meaning and context. "It makes a world of a difference...a message of unity based on Gandhiji was given that day and that was termed as a terror," he remarked.Umar Khalid's bail plea : Lawyer Trideep Pais argues Republic TV showed an edited version of Khalid's speech which was tweeted by Amit Malviya."The journalist didn't even have the responsibility to go there. It's not a journalistic ethic. This is death of journalism" -lawyer. https://t.co/u2sWOvFUlw— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) August 23, 2021 "I have been framed by the press. Why did they leave other parts of speech? Quite apart from the fact that nothing happened on (February) 17th, you come upon this speech in March," Pais submitted.He added, "On March 6 when you said he gave speeches, what did you have? You had a speech which was copied from a tweet and that story came in July by the time you had arrested 18 persons."Pais continued that in his speech, Khalid was talking about democratic power. He did not call for violence/ violent methods.Pais also played the full clip of Khalid's speech for the Court.Conspiracy to create riots during ex-US President Trump's visit to IndiaAs per the prosecution allegations, Khalid had conspired with other accused on January 8, 2020 to create riots during President Trump's visit to India. Controverting this theory, Pais submitted that news about Trump's visit was announced by the Ministry of External Affairs only on February 11, 2020."They tell you I knew about Trump's visit on January 8 when the MEA did not know? This is a fantastic theory...Thanks to actual journalism the truth came out," Pais said referring to a report published by 'The Quint'.Umar Khalid's bail hearing : As per police case, Khalid @UmarKhalidJNU conspired with other accused in January to create riots during President Trump's visit; however the news about Trump's visit was announced only in Feb - lawyer Trideep Pais argues.#UmarKhalid #UAPA https://t.co/xVR0iTRshd— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) August 23, 2021 On Fabrication of FIR Contents Pais began by submitting that the FIR 59/2020 registered by the Delhi Police against Khalid and others was completely unnecessary and had been drafted and filed in order to target people selectively, based on their opposition to Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019. "You did not have a case on March 6. All the 750 FIRs in riots have distinct offences. But the submission I'm making is, when those FIRs were registered, there were crimes. But this FIR, had no such thing. It was framed in such a broad manner so that you can get statements in order to frame people," Pais argued. Calling all the statements an afterthought of the Delhi Police, Pais submitted that the chargesheet filed in the matter was a complete fabrication. "Statements are cooked up which have no relation to physical evidence. Everyone in this FIR, nobody should have been arrested and this FIR should not have been registered," he added. Arguing that the prosecution had no evidence or material to support their case from the starting point, Pais also submitted that statements and evidences were collected days after the registration of FIR and commission of cognizable offences. "Laughable statements have been made. What will the prosecution achieve from this? The purpose of this FIR is not to bring home guilt, it's hypocrisy. ...

Framed By Press; Delhi Police Case Based On Truncated Speech Clips Shown By Republic TV, News18 : Umar Khalid In Bail Hearing

Nupur Thapliyal

Tags