Badshahpur murder: Scribe’s family says he has been made a scapegoat

The family members of the journalist, who has been arrested by police for allegedly being part of the conspiracy for the murder of Anand Vashisht, a Badshahpur resident, have claimed that he is being made a scapegoat in the case. They have also demanded a fair probe into his arrest.

Hariom Nirala, brother of the arrested journalist Pradeep Nirala, called a press conference on Saturday along with the scribe’s lawyer Yatish Goel. They demanded a probe into the illegal detention of the scribe, a call made allegedly by a driver to Nirala’s son demanding money and the questionable allegations levelled against him by the police.

“Nirala is being made a scapegoat in this case, as there is no evidence to suggest that he brokered any deal or made calls to Anand Vashisht threatening or pressuring him (into settling the firing case). The same could be corroborated by examining his call details,” Goel, Nirala’s counsel, said.

Read I Badshahpur murder case: Rights body seeks police reply on alleged harassment of journalist

He also alleged that the police had arrested the scribe under pressure from villagers, who suspect that he was involved in the conspiracy to kill Vashisht. He said that there is no evidence to suggest his involvement in the case.

Nirala’s brother said alleged that an unknown person, who identified himself as Ariz Khan, a driver, called the journalist’s son on the night of March 14 and asked the family to arrange for money, as Nirala was being detained and needed it. “He said Pradeep was in a bad shape and was being detained. We were told that his motorcycle and his laptop bag was at a police chowki. We didn’t do what he asked us to, but we recorded the call that proves that my brother was in police custody,” Hari Om said.

They also claimed that the police was under pressure to show that he was arrested, as a notice had been issued by the Scheduled Caste Commission in the light of his alleged harassment and illegal detention.