NIA defines a 'real journalist' as one who covers development of government activities, inauguration of roads, hospital

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) defines a journalist as a professional who ‘covers developmental activity of any government department, inauguration of a hospital or school or write statement of the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

The central investigative agency ‘defined a journalist’ as part of the chargesheet filed on January 18 against 12 persons including a freelance photojournalist, Kamran Yusuf into the terror funding and stone pelting case in the valley.

The NIA in its chargesheet stated that Yusuf was not a journalist during his bail hearing.

The investigative agency argued that he is not a journalist as he had never covered any development activity of any government department.

The NIA under the title ‘ Moral Duty of a Journalist’ said, “Head he been a real journalist by profession, he may have performed one of the moral duty of a journalist, which is to cover activities (good or bad) in his jurisdiction.”

The NIA chargesheet states that he had “never covered any developmental activity of any government agency, any inauguration of hospital, school, building, road, bridge or statement of political party.”

“No social work by the Army and paramilitary forces in the Valley such as free medical check-up, blood donation camps,Iftar party and  skill development programme,” terms NIA in its chargesheet.

The agency in its chargesheet further mentioned that the NIA examinesd 1735 videos recorded by Kamran Yusuf.

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“Almost every video has been taken with a particular intention to cover anti-national activities and then provide the same to local media for publication or telecast,” mentions NIA in its chargesheet.

According to NIA Yusuf is not a professional because he did not receive any training from any institute.

According to the photojournalist's lawyer Warisha Farishat,  Yusuf was detained without charge in September last year, and was booked as a “stone-pelter” in a chargesheet filed on January 18.

She added that the chargesheet accuses him of “conspiring to wage war against Government of India.”