Reporting in Ishrat case

Clarification on Ishrat Jahan stories

On 8th July, HT published on its front page an article that makes references to telephone intercepts allegedly between Muzzamil and two of those killed in the 2004 fake encounter.

HT Image

In the HT report itself, there is not a whisper about Ishrat Jahan in these alleged communications, and yet the report on the front page is titled, “IB’s Ishrat tapes”. These so-called IB’s Ishrat tapes do not have a single reference to Ishrat Jahan.

On 11th July, again a boxed news item on the front-page story, with a detailed story in the inside pages, mischievously refers to Amjad Ali, one of those killed in the 2004 fake encounter as Ishrat’s ‘friend’. The headline in the short stories column reads, “Ishrat companion had old bullet injury”, and the full story on pg 10 carries the headline, “Ishrat ‘friend’ got gunshot wound treated in Delhi”.

The chargesheet filed before the Gujarat court shows that there was no association of Ishrat Jehan with Amjad Ali, and she was abducted and illegally confined elsewhere by Gujarat police.

Vrinda Grover, lawyer for Shamima Kauser
(Mother of deceased Ishrat Jahan)

HT’s response: The title “IB’s Ishrat tapes” is intended only to convey that these tapes pertain to the encounter case most commonly associated with Ishrat Jahan. There is no mischievous intent behind any of the above references, and any offence caused is unintentional, and regretted.