In connection with a case of reportedly showing “morphed, edited and obscene” videos of a 10-year-old girl and her family and linking it to the sexual assault case against godman Asaram Bapu, a Gurugram court has once again issued an arrest warrant for journalist and news presenter Deepak Chaurasia.
After Chaurasia submitted a request for non-appearance on the day of hearing, claiming a scheduled interview with Yogi Adityanath by his media organisation, Additional Sessions Judge Shashi Chauhan issued a non-bailable warrant.
“Keeping in view the peculiar circumstances of the case that the present case has already become very old and registered under the POCSO Act and the application for personal exemption moved by the applicant/accused is not supported by any affidavit and no cogent documentary proof regarding his absence has been filed therefore, no ground is made out to allow the application and same stands dismissed,” the Court directed.
The Court also noted that the request for Chaurasia’s non-appearance was made without any affidavit support and without any accompanying persuasive documentary evidence to support the request.
During the hearing, the counsel said that Chaurasia was unable to appear in court because of a prior obligation on the job, which required him to interview UP CM Yogi. Additionally, he documented the correspondence that CM’s office sent to Chaurasia.
However, the Court rejected this claim, finding that Chaurasia was not the recipient of the message but rather another individual, and that it was improper to record a secret document (mail).
Chaurasia deliberately avoided court on day of proceeding
The prosecution claimed that Chaurasia deliberately avoided court on the appointed day for the case’s argument on the charge in order to stall the proceedings.
The Court, therefore, issued arrest warrant against Chaurasia noting that he had previously also sought personal exemption from appearing in the hearing.
“Needless to say, that this is the third application for personal exemption moved by accused. Earlier was moved on 23.09.2022 and 28.10.2022.”
The bail bond and surety bond for Chaurasia were both cancelled by the court. The State received forfeit of the same.
In accordance with Section 446 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, Chaurasia was granted a notice to appear in court on March 3, 2023, as well as an arrest warrant for him.
The case concerns a first information report (FIR) that was filed in December 2013 in response to a complaint from the child’s relative.
The video was allegedly broadcast on the news networks News24, India News, and News Nation. According to sources, among the eight people charged in the case are Chaurasiya, former News 24 managing editor Ajit Anjum, and anchor Chitra Tripathi.
The female child, the complainant’s wife, and other people’s faces were allegedly partially visible in the footage that was shown on various news networks.
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