R K Anand initiates action to sue TV channel for defamation

New Delhi, June 1 (UNI) Denying all charges about alleged collusion with the prosecution counsel to influence the key witness in the BMW case involving Sanjeev Nanda as shown in a sting operation, prominent Supreme Court advocate R K Anand today said he had initiated legal action to sue the TV channel NDTV for defamation of Rs 50 crores.

''NDTV should apologise for misrepresentation of the facts,'' the former Congress Rajya Sabha member said in a statement to the Press issued here. ''I have initiated legal action against them and the notice will be served to them snortly for damages of Rs 50 crores.'' ''I regretfully state that the NDTV has put its reputation at stake by relying upon a person like Sunil Kulkarni whose character and intentions have been doubted not just by the media, courts and the police but by NDTV itself,'' Mr Anand said The NDTV, he said, had discarded his reputation and credibility at every stage of their broadcast by announcing that they can not guarantee the intention, motive or character of Sunil Kulkarni.

''Clearly this is the major error in judgement by the channel which is driven by the announcement of generating TRPs.'' Mr Anand charged that the NDTV had violated the basic principle of journalism by ''transferring the powers of journalism in the hands of a person who is not only a party to the case but whose motives are entirely coloured by greed.'' Mr Anand described the footage as ''fabricated, cherry picked and does not show my link with the alleged person whose voice is transcript in the channel,'' he asserted.

He said the NDTV had not shown the fact that Sunil Kulkarni was dropped by prosecution due to his ''dubious character'' and the same was approved by the Court on 30-9-1999. ''They have also failed to establish any kind of collusion between the prosecution and the defence.'' Mr Anand charged that Mr Kulkarni had approached many channels including CNN,IBN for this operation and demanded money for his services which had been shown on CNN/IBN yesterday. ''I do not know what was the vested interest of NDTV in paying Kulkarni and showing it out of proportion.'' The Supreme Court lawer asserted that no money had been paid or any attempt made to influence any of the witnesses. ''I am made to pay the price of my background and status,'' he said, adding ''this is most unfortunate and aimed at influencing the courts of law by a side and motivated trial in the media.'' UNI