New Delhi, May 24
In a rare event, a television footage was played in a Delhi court today showing a protest demonstration in which RJD leader and Bihar Chief Minister’s brother Sadhu Yadav and his supporters allegedly attacked some JNU students outside New Bihar Bhavan here in 1997.
The coverage of the demonstration on March 31, 1997, recorded by television channel ‘Aaj Tak’ was played in the court of the Additional Sessions Judge, Mr. R. K. Jain, in the presence of accused Anirudh Prasad Yadav, alias Sadhu Yadav, elected to the Lok Sabha from Gopalganj constituency.
The court recorded the testimony of Aaj Tak’s News Director Qamar Waheed Naqvi, who confirmed Sadhu Yadav’s presence on the tape and asserted the recording was not manipulated or tampered with.
Sadhu Yadav and others are accused by the CBI of attempt to murder, rioting and causing hurt. As many as 2,000 students had gheraoed the Bihar Bhawan protesting the murder of JNU student leader Chandrashekhar at Siwan in Bihar, in which Rashtriya Janata Dal strongman Shahabuddin is a prime accused.
Ten prosecution witnesses, including Inspector R. Chandran, Assistant Sub-Inspector Pratap Chand, Head Constables Dharmender Singh Thapa, Shyam Rai, Rajesh Rana, Constables Anil Limbu, Anil Lama, Ramesh Dutt (proprietor of Himachal Auto Engineers), Shiv Shankar Gupta (owner of Shiv Automobiles) and Naqvi - deposed before the court.
The policemen told the court that the demonstrators damaged VIPs’ cars parked in the compound including that of the then Bihar Chief Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav. And they (demonstrators) also shattered the glasses of the main gate of the building by pelting stones, besides breaking flower pots, the policemen said, adding that following the orders of their superiors they had fired in the air to disperse the angry crowd.
