What shocked mediapersons at the press conference held by RTI activist Akhil Gogoi was the audioclip where the TV journalist who caught the incident on tape is heard boasting to a colleague who tried to resist the girl’s harassment: “You know, I have done all this.”
Mr Gogoi said, “I am not playing the entire raw video footage as you won’t be able to watch it. I have also submitted this video footage to Assam DGP Jayanta Narayan Choudhury before coming to this press conference.”
Asserting that he does not wish to blame media in general and so was naming a few journalists and proprietors, who were part of this “conspiracy”, Mr Gogoi said.
“It is the turn of the journalist fraternity now to respond to the evidence presented before you. I am ready for a forensic test of the video footage,” he said.
Mr Gogoi said, “The editor-in chief of a national news channel, who was awarded by the said local news channel recently, also had all the video footage but chose not to play or expose the news channel and the TV journalist.”
Mr Gogoi said, “I am submitting the video footage to the National Commission for Women also. Let us see if Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi, even after all this evidence, acts against his ministers who are obviously defending the real culprits whose act has embarrassed the entire Assamese community.”
Mr Gogoi also pointed out that the TV journalist, along with Amarjyoti Kalita (the main accused), forcibly stopped the girl and took her to a part of the road where the streetlights were off. He also alleged that it was really surprising that Kalita is absconding since Monday. Referring to other incidents of molestation and crime against women, Mr Gogoi accused the ruling party leaders of indulging in false claims as in majority of cases related to women, the police did not act.
The RTI activist also claimed it to be a planned conspiracy.