Who is a journalist? NIA defines it in Kashmir terror funding case

It is not very often that an investigating agency gives lessons on how a journalist must function. In its chargesheet on the Kashmir terror funding case, the NIA dealt specifically with a photo journalist from Kashmir.

The NIA says that Kamran Yusuf was not a real journalist. Yusuf was arrested on September 5 for alleged involvement in incidents of stone pelting in Kashmir.

During the bail hearing the NIA reproduced some documents relating to Yusuf. The NIA argued that the bail should be rejected. Further hearing on the matter has been listed for February 19.

In its chargesheet, the NIA under the title, "moral duty of a journalist,' said, " had he been a real journalist/stringer by profession, he may have performed one of the moral duty of a journalist, which is to cover activities and happenings (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 part in power or any other social/developmental activity by the state or central government."

The NIA also speaks about the social work by the Army and para-military forces in the Valley such as organising 'blood donation camps, free medical check-up, skill development programme and Iftar 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," the NIA said.

He was not a professional because he did not receive any training from any institute. The NIA says that after scrutinising the videos in his camera it was found that the video was taken with a particular intention to cover anti-national activities and then provide it to some local media for publication.

OneIndia News