Moral duty of a real journalist is to cover govt development activity: NIA

The documents were reproduced Thursday before Additional Sessions Judge Tarun Sherawat during Yusuf’s bail hearing. The next date of hearing is February 19.

In the chargesheet, the NIA listed the “moral duty of a journalist” and observed: “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 the activities and happening (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 party in power or any other social/developmental activity by state government or Govt of India.”

The chargesheet also mentions social work by the Army and para-military forces in the Valley such as organising “blood-donation camps, free medical check-up, skill development program or Iftiar 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,” said the chargesheet.

According to the NIA, Yusuf was not a “professional” because he did not receive training from any institute. The NIA, after scrutinising the videos in his camera, observed that the video has been taken with a particular intention to cover “anti-national activities” and then provide the same to “local media” for publication.

During bail arguments, Yusuf’s counsel Warisha Farasat submitted to the court that despite NIA defining a “real journalist”, Yusuf had fulfilled all the criteria listed. “We have many pictures to show that Kamran falls under their definition,” she said.