Khurshid seeks inclusion of TV Today group in probe's ambit

New Delhi, Oct 14: Union Law Minister

is of the opinion that the media group responsible for a sting operation on the NGO run by his wife should be included in the ambit of any enquiry.

Addressing a nearly two-hour-long press conference here, Khurshid refuted some of the charges which had been levelled against the Dr Zakir Hussain Memorial Trust.

Refuting the allegation that the Trust had not organised several camps despite receiving grants for the same, the minister showed newspersons the photos of some camps and also produced utilisation certificates which prove that the Trust had spent all the money given by the government.

Since channels belonging to the TV Today network had cited former Chief Development Officer JB Singh's averment that his signature on an affidavit about the organisation of camps by the Trust was forged, Khurshid flaunted a photograph of JB Singh standing beside disabled people at the camp in Mainpuri.

After producing a list of officials who supposedly oversaw all the camps in different districts, Khurshid showed the purchase orders issued by hospitals in Uttar Pradesh through the Dr Zakir Hussain Memorial Trust for equipment which the differently-abled normally use.

A beneficary Rangee Mistry who had received hearing aid was presented by Khurshid at the press conference to buttress his point. The minister claimed that Mistry had earlier misled TV channels just because he wanted to get a new hearing aid.

Despite all these rebuttals, the minister was unable to explain why the Dr Zakir Hussain Memorial Trust had used a forged letter to secure a grant of Rs 71.5 lakh from the Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry.

Incensed by repeated queries about the forged letter, Khurshid even shouted at the reporters from the TV Today group in the midst of the press conference.

Referring to the UK probe that was conducted into the Rupert Murdoch-owned News Corp, Khurshid then demanded a similar enquiry into who had sent the forged letters. He stressed that the investigators must look into the role played by the TV Today network in the matter.

Khurshid added that he is suing the TV Today network for defamation.

OneIndia News