Green light on Rahul Gandhi visible only in Congress' photographer's video, SPG inquiry reveals

NEW DELHI: The green light spot visible on Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s face in a video recorded by a party photographer using his i-Phone was not actually emitted but only showed up in the particular video, an inquiry by Special Protection Group (SPG) has revealed.
SPG personnel contacted the photographer linked to AICC and examined his i-Phone used for the recording and found that green spot seemed to be unique to his recording. The green light was also seen in a separate video recorded with the same phone. No other videos recorded at the spot displayed a green light, leading SPG to conclude that it was only to be seen in the video recorded on the AICC photographer’s i-Phone.

SPG is understood to have accordingly informed the home ministry that no light spot, which appeared on Rahul’s face for a fraction of a second, was actually emitted by the phone or any other source.

The SPG team at Amethi also informed that the collectorate campus, where the video was recorded soon after Rahul filed his poll nomination, had requisite security arrangements and was covered from all sides. There was negligible room for anyone using laser or anything else to target the VIP protectee.

The SPG inquiry followed after senior Congress leaders Ahmed Patel and Jairam Ramesh met home minister Rajnath Singh late on April 10 evening to report the matter and express concern about Rahul Gandhi facing a possible sniper attack threat. They are said to have told Singh that various persons, including former security personnel, after watching the video shot by the AICC photographer concluded that the green light could be a laser from a potential weapon such as sniper rifle.

While Patel and Ramesh are said to have indicated to the home minister that a formal letter recording their concerns and seeking investigation and neutralisation of the threat would follow, it was never received by the home ministry. In any case, Singh did not wait for a formal complaint and asked SPG to immediately conduct an inquiry in the matter.

Incidentally, a purported letter to Singh, signed by Patel, Ramesh and Randeep Surjewala and typed on a Congress letterhead, started doing the rounds in the media on Thursday. Congress later denied authorship of the letter.