Srinagar, Publish Date: Feb 16 2018
National Investigation Agency (NIA) has said that Kamran Yousuf was not a “real journalist” as he didn’t cover government developmental activities and statements of political parties, which “is a moral duty of a journalist”.
The observations by the NIA are part of the charge sheet into the funding case filed on January 18 against 12 people including Kamran Yusuf, a free-lance photojournalist arrested on September 5 for his alleged involvement in “stone-pelting incidents”, reported Indian Express.
The report said that the documents were reproduced Thursday before Additional Sessions Judge Tarun Sherawat during Yusuf’s bail hearing.
“Had he been a real journalist/stringer by profession, he may have performed one of the moral duty (sic) of a journalist which is to cover the activities and happening (good or bad) in his jurisdiction. He had never covered any developmental activity of any Government Department/Agency, any inauguration of Hospital, School Building, Road, Bridge, statement of political party in power or any other social/developmental activity by state government or Govt of India,” report quoted the chargesheet, by the NIA.
The charge sheet, according to the report, also mentions social work by the Army and para-military forces in the Valley such as organising “blood-donation camps, free medical check-up, skill development program or Iftiar party” among others.“Kamran Yusuf had hardly taken any video of such activity and video or image of any such activity can rarely been seen in his laptop or mobile which clearly show his intention to only cover the activities which are anti-national and earn money against such footages,” report quoted the charge sheet. ( Indian Express )
