Sorry state: Media guilty of sensationalism

WHODUNNIT DEADLOCK: Face the Nation panelists debate whether media and police should apologise to the Talwars.

        

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Keywords: CBI, Noida

After keeping Dr Rajesh Talwar, father of the murdered 14-year-old girl Arushi, in custody for 50 days, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday told the court that it has no evidence against him. Claiming to have solved the case, the CBI said that it was, in fact, Talwar's medical assistant Krishna and other domestic helps Vijay Mandal and Rajkumar who committed the crime.

The man who was accused of killing his daughter is finally free.

CNN-IBN show Face the Nation debated the question: Should the media and police apologise to the Talwar family?

The panelists included senior journalist and media commentator Amrita Shah; Editor-in-Chief, IBN 7, Ashutosh; and a close friend of the Talwar family, Masooma Renalvi. CNN-IBN's Bhupendra Chaubey moderated the discussion.

Media's role

"I think it is has anything to do with media pressure. We've reached this because the top most investigating agency in the country, the CBI, took over the case," said Masooma.

She added, "The CBI tried their level best, given that at the time of taking over the case, almost all the evidence was already lost. They worked very hard. They suspected everyone who was associated with the case, which includes Arushi's father, mother, family friends and servant. They have tried to get as much forensic and scientific evidence they could and at the end of those agonising 50 days, Dr Talwar was set free."

So does media deserves credit because it exposed the loopholes in the theories given by the Noida police?

Agreeing with Bhupendra, Ashutosh said that the unfortunate part was that Masooma was of a different opinion. "If the case went to the CBI, it was only because of the media. It was because the media blasted the Noida police theory," said Ashutosh.

Unsolicited help?

Is this where the second stage of problems begins to creep in? The media takes credit for ensuring that the case got transferred to the CBI but some sections of the media were converting primary facts into conclusions. Personal stories about the Talwars were routinely circulated.

Amrita Shah replied, "I think that we jumped to conclusions very fast and we were quick to condemn. Various scenarios were painted, and various re-enactments were broadcast — I don't think that all this was called for. I don't know if all this is right at all."

Is this becoming an alarming situation for all of us?

As soon as the first reports come in, a section of media reports it as the final conclusion. Is it possible for us to stop somewhere?

Disagreeing with Bhupendra, Ashutosh said, "I think we are jumping the gun again."

He argued that the CBI had said that they have no evidence against Dr Talwar. "The CBI said that the investigations are still on. And we are taking CBI's words as gospel's truth and condemning the Noida police."

But does media need to stop somewhere.

Explaining further, Ashutosh said, "Media is not James Bond or Sherlock Holmes. Vijay Sanker knows that media got information because CBI, as an institution, has become so porous."

He said, "It is very easy for any reporter to go and get information. Media got the information because CBI was leaking it."

How much is too much? Did all journalists cross their line?

Masooma said that the Noida police and the media are very important organs of the state and a democratic system.

She said, "I think a huge mirror has to be held in front of us. The media pointed out the loopholes in the police probe. Let us give credit to them here. However, the way the police handled the case is very scary because not everyone involved in a similar situation will get the CBI to investigate their case.”

Who's more victimised?

Many of us looked at this case as a murder of one girl but there is also a story of the murder of a servant. Are we being unfair?

"Certainly we are being unfair," said Ashutosh.

He added, "Everyone seems to be focussing on Arushi and no one is talking about Hemraj. Everyone is giving the benefit of doubt to Dr Talwar and no is giving that benefit of doubt to Krishna, Rajkumar or Vijay Mandal, who are domestic helps and are very poor. They can't talk in English. No one is talking about them."

However, Masooma disagreed. "I beg to differ here. There has been no question of giving the benefit of doubt to the servants."

Why don't we see people coming in support of the servants? When Dr Talwar was being targeted, we saw friends, family and everyone coming in support.

"I want to ask Ashutosh that from the very start, he has been saying that Dr Talwar is the suspect. Has he ever given Dr Talwar the benefit of doubt," questioned Masooma.

Answering Masooma, Ashutosh argued that if the media had not given the benefit of doubt to Dr Talwar, the case would not have been transferred to the CBI. "Today's conclusion by the CBI is all thanks to the media," asserted Ashutosh.

A case study?

The Arushi case was seen as the ultimate story to have gotten into by all crime reporters in the country. Is there a lesson that all crime reporters should learn?

"We always had certain standards to follow about verifying and cross checking information, but it seems that we have forgotten all those. It certainly is a lesson for the media to take up," said Amrita.

However, she added, "CNN-IBN's poll says that a majority of the audience said that the media should apologise. But they should be asked if they followed all the reports keenly. Didn't they want more on that?"

Murder most foul

What was it about the case that captured the imagination of the entire nation?

Ashutosh explained that the Arushi-Hemraj case was the first crime case of a new and confident India.

"Here is a middle class family who lives in modern India. The girl was articulate, urbane, and spoke good English. The murder scares you because the domestic help is involved. If a small girl is not secure in a city like Noida, then some thing is definitely very scary," explained Ashutosh.

Will the Talwars be able to get on with their normal lives?

Masooma said, "I don't think so. I don't think anybody can understand what all the Talwars have lost. They have lost their entire life in terms of their child. Now it's time to introspect within the media."

Final results of SMS/web poll: Should the media and police apologise to the Talwar family?

Yes: 89 per cent

No: 11 per cent