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I am shocked to see this article on Indian Express about Sushant Singh Rajput by veteran journalist Nalini Singh and I wish to rebut it, point by point.
I wonder why and how Indian Express allowed this opinion piece on their pages without doing a basic fact-check?
Thread begins.
I wonder why and how Indian Express allowed this opinion piece on their pages without doing a basic fact-check?
Thread begins.
I don't wish to comment on the first para but the second para caught my attention.
The FIR filed in Patna doesn't mention murder. At best, it alleges abetment.
The FIR doesn't mention that a large sum was "salted away" to Rhea's accounts. It mentions that the money is untraceable
The FIR filed in Patna doesn't mention murder. At best, it alleges abetment.
The FIR doesn't mention that a large sum was "salted away" to Rhea's accounts. It mentions that the money is untraceable
Para 3 is littered with errors.
Patna police never launched suo motu investigation. They received an FIR.
Prior to that, in Mumbai, there was only a routine enquiry under CrPC.
There was no charge of drug abuse. NCB stepped in because evidence cropped up during the investigation.
Patna police never launched suo motu investigation. They received an FIR.
Prior to that, in Mumbai, there was only a routine enquiry under CrPC.
There was no charge of drug abuse. NCB stepped in because evidence cropped up during the investigation.
The Supreme Court found enough ground to transfer the case to the CBI. To suggest that a Supreme Court order is a victory of a state police is really childish.
It was a victory for the family of Sushant Singh Rajput.
There were jurisdiction issues too to which CBI enquiry was apt
It was a victory for the family of Sushant Singh Rajput.
There were jurisdiction issues too to which CBI enquiry was apt
Then comes these longish paragraphs where Ms Singh has attempted to calculate the cost to a taxpayer. The premise and actuals are all wrong.
Nobody knows how many personnel are working on the case. The figures suggested are grossly exaggerated.
There is no RTI reply on this.
Nobody knows how many personnel are working on the case. The figures suggested are grossly exaggerated.
There is no RTI reply on this.
Here are the polite rebuttals of Ms Nalini's "high decibel" charges against SSR's family.
Only one of the sisters is posting on social media. She is only asking for justice. She has posted few videos remembering her family member and offering tribute. What's wrong with that?
Only one of the sisters is posting on social media. She is only asking for justice. She has posted few videos remembering her family member and offering tribute. What's wrong with that?
The family hasn't disclosed the the name of the suspect who reportedly siphoned off crores because they don't know who did it. That's what is mentioned in the FIR as well.
They have a suspicion and they have elaborated on that in their complaint. What more are you expecting?
They have a suspicion and they have elaborated on that in their complaint. What more are you expecting?
The family has not shared publicly any modus operandi or didn't come in front of the media because the case is under investigation. What do you expect Ms. Nalini? They will come on a TV debate to file charges for a media trial into the case?
What kind of argument is this, ma'am?
What kind of argument is this, ma'am?
In the underlined sentences, you are making direct charges against SSR's family.
How do you know that his sister forged a prescription and supplied mind-altering drugs to her brother and leave him all by himself in a fragile mental state?
Isn't this part of the FIR filed by Rhea?
How do you know that his sister forged a prescription and supplied mind-altering drugs to her brother and leave him all by himself in a fragile mental state?
Isn't this part of the FIR filed by Rhea?
In this paragraph, you are accusing the "nationalist media" of pushing down news of PLA aggression and the valiant fightback by our soldiers, "down the news schedule run order".
Ask any channel. This is not a fact.
The Chinese aggression and the Indian response received top slot.
Ask any channel. This is not a fact.
The Chinese aggression and the Indian response received top slot.
The penultimate paragraph had me in splits.
How does SSR and Harold Holt's death connect with each other?
Holt's body was never found and the incident happened in 1967! When a body is not found, a person is presumed dead after specified time.
Thanks for the story by the way.
How does SSR and Harold Holt's death connect with each other?
Holt's body was never found and the incident happened in 1967! When a body is not found, a person is presumed dead after specified time.
Thanks for the story by the way.
I do understand that conspiracy theories exploded around Holt's death.
When a celebrity dies an unnatural death or an inexplicable death, conspiracy theories crop up.
Did you ever find an exception?
Remember: All theories are conspiracy theories until officially accepted as true.
When a celebrity dies an unnatural death or an inexplicable death, conspiracy theories crop up.
Did you ever find an exception?
Remember: All theories are conspiracy theories until officially accepted as true.
The message in the last para takes the cake.
You say that the gulf between infinite speculation and finite remit of a probe is called credibility.
Really?
In which country do probe agencies close an ongoing criminal case?
Abandoning criminal case helps establish credibility?
You say that the gulf between infinite speculation and finite remit of a probe is called credibility.
Really?
In which country do probe agencies close an ongoing criminal case?
Abandoning criminal case helps establish credibility?
Unsolved criminal cases are kept open by leading probe agencies so that they can be closed with credibility when new evidence emerge or technologies are invented.
This is the norm across the world.
There are fascinating stories of closures of criminal cases achieved decades later
This is the norm across the world.
There are fascinating stories of closures of criminal cases achieved decades later
I don't want to labour on the points further but if by anyway, the article suggests that SSR death probe should be abandoned then this should have been the sole reason why this opinion piece shouldn't have made it to the portal or the paper.
This is such huge disappointment!
This is such huge disappointment!
I was a fan of yours as a child.
I used to watch you on a Telerama colour television with wide eyes and my face between my chin. It was such a joy to see you anchor news shows with elan. I wanted to be like you.
This article has shattered that "conspiracy theory" in my mind.
I used to watch you on a Telerama colour television with wide eyes and my face between my chin. It was such a joy to see you anchor news shows with elan. I wanted to be like you.
This article has shattered that "conspiracy theory" in my mind.
We should write opinion pieces as much as we like.
But if senior journalists put out editorials which are biased and essentially based on complaints of the accused, then how are they different from conspiracy theorists who are accused of spinning a yarn out of nothing?
But if senior journalists put out editorials which are biased and essentially based on complaints of the accused, then how are they different from conspiracy theorists who are accused of spinning a yarn out of nothing?
There are many inaccuracies in the case. There were procedural errors in the probe that followed.
There were many visible evidence of foul play against which there has been no satisfactory reply.
These are not opinions of only conspiracy theorists but experts and doctors as well.
There were many visible evidence of foul play against which there has been no satisfactory reply.
These are not opinions of only conspiracy theorists but experts and doctors as well.
Social media users are demanding answers to the visible evidence of foul play and fair probe. Is that too much to ask?
If there are visible evidence of foul play, will it not spawn a murder conspiracy theory?
Isn't it normal?
Isn't a conspiracy theory an opinion?
Just like yours?
If there are visible evidence of foul play, will it not spawn a murder conspiracy theory?
Isn't it normal?
Isn't a conspiracy theory an opinion?
Just like yours?
Thanks for reading.
I do hope that a clarification about the opinion piece is put out.
As for Indian Express, they are credited for high standards of journalism. Even the best of players may have their bad days on the field. But fact-checking should be sacrosanct.
Thread closed.
I do hope that a clarification about the opinion piece is put out.
As for Indian Express, they are credited for high standards of journalism. Even the best of players may have their bad days on the field. But fact-checking should be sacrosanct.
Thread closed.
