Guwahati: A journalist who filmed the molestation of a girl in Guwahati on Monday night had 'instigated' it, alleged RTI activist Akhil Gogoi on Saturday drawing condemnation from scribe bodies, but the news channel denied it as 'baseless'.
Gogoi who screened the video at the Guwahati Press Club alleged that the news channel journalist filming it on his mobile phone was joined by a colleague to whom he was heard saying that he had 'organised the incident'.
He alleged that the second journalist was heard saying that the girl had been ruined to which the first scribe replied that it was 'he who had urged them to do so'.
Claiming that he had secured the raw footage, the RTI activist and Team Anna member alleged that the news channel during telecast edited out these portions.
Managing Editor of the news channel Syed Zarir Hussain said that Gogoi's allegations were baseless.
"A journalist of the channel happened to be present at the spot when the incident broke out and he began recording it and called the office for a camera team," Hussain said.
"Gogoi has acquired the video from our channel and we have never denied that our journalists were present at the spot," Hussain said.
"The video footage makes it clear that both the journalists of the channel not only tried to protect the girl, but also called the police for help," Hussain said.
"It is indeed a tragedy that instead of demanding the arrest of the culprits, Gogoi is making such baseless allegations," he said.
The TV news channel on Saturday aired fresh footage to establish that its journalist and cameraman tried to save the girl and asked the mob to stay away.
The two were heard in the footage telling the mob to stop and asking the girl not to go alone. "Police will come soon... go with them."
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