Date:08/09/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/09/08/stories/2007090862960100.htm

Front Page

Sting operation mastermind held

Staff Reporter

Turns out it wasn’t really the sting operation it was claimed to be

NEW DELHI: Turning the whole case on its head, the Crime Branch of the Delhi police on Friday arrested the reporter who allegedly staged a sting operation against Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya teacher Uma Khurana, showing her pushing a girl student into the flesh trade. Two of his accomplices, including a young woman reporter, have already been arrested.

The Crime Branch arrested Prakash Singh on charges of carrying out the “sting operation” against Uma at the instance of a businessman, Virender Arora, as she owed him over Rs.1 lakh and was not repaying the amount. He has been booked for fabrication of evidence, cheating and criminal conspiracy.

Police investigations have revealed that Virender contacted Prakash Singh in July allegedly luring him with an “exclusive” story about a woman teacher at a government school involved in the flesh trade. Prakash was then working with a Hindi television news channel and was posted at the desk that provided news content to an FM channel.

He shared the idea with a programme producer and, after being given the go-ahead, allegedly called up Uma posing as an exporter and asked for a girl.

According to the police, though Uma said she was not in the flesh trade, Prakash allegedly kept pestering her and telling her that she could make quick money through the business.

Uma allegedly landed in the trap when she finally gave in and contacted Virender to arrange a girl for her. Virender then allegedly sent the young woman, who later turned out to be Prakash’s friend Rashmi, said to be an editor of a small-time newspaper.

After conducting the “sting operation” on July 19, Prakash showed it to his seniors but the channel did not broadcast it because of doubts over the veracity of the operation.

The reporter later joined another Hindi TV news channel where he managed to get the story telecast on August 30, resulting in large-scale public protests and violence on Asaf Ali Road and subsequent arrest of Uma on the basis of the “sting operation”.

Rashmi, who was arrested on Thursday, was produced in a court that sent her to seven days’ judicial custody on Friday.

The police have also got the statement of Tej Narayan Tiwari, the driver of the car in which the reporter had gone to conduct the sting operation, recorded before a judge under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

The third accused, Virender, has already been arrested. It is learnt that the police are now seeking legal advice on Uma’s role.