Author:
Publication: India Today
Date: October 15, 2012
URL: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/second-letter-from-the-india-today-group-to-salman-khurshid-on-october-8-2012/1/224771.html

The India Today Group's second letter to Salman Khurshid, sent on October 8, 2012.

Mr. Louise Khurshid                                                                                           October 8, 2012
Project Director
Dr. Zakir Hussain Memorial Trust
New Delhi

Dear Ms. Khurshid,

This is with the reference to the “papers” made available to my office by you pertaining to the story about the Dr. Zakir Husain Memorial Trust. Following your letter and telephone calls, I personally got involved in the story and have gone through the official letters, documents and also your clarifications. I have a high regard for Salman and wish there were more people like him in politics.

However, after going through the details and documents related to the story and what we have on ape, I am of the view that some persons in the Trust or those associated with it are indulging in wrongdoing which you and Salman may not be aware of. Little purpose is served in imputing ulterior motives to our journalists. We have no agenda against anyone. We only want to do a fair story validated by evidence. I am sure that the trust has done sterling work but we have found cases where the important documents have been forged.

The crux of the story is that signatures of the officers who verified the work done by the Trust were forged. This is revealed in official government communications. Whether they are ‘notice are enquiry’ is a matter of semantics. We have enough documentary evidence to prove that the U.P government officials  have found malpractice in the activities of the Trust on their respective areas.

Secondly, a test check by our reporters on actual recipients of the aids has also shown that many of them have not received what they were supposed to have.

I might add, this is all a matter of public interest as the government has donated Rs. 1.39 crore to the Trust from 2009-2011.

As for the Affidavit given by Mr. J. B. Singh, presently registrar of Lucknow University saying that his signatures were authentic and not forged, I regret to inform you that we have evidence to the contrary.

I would again request you on someone responsible from the Trust to come on record on whatever they want to saty on the issues raised in the story.

We would also welcome anyone from the Trust coming on air live and present their side of the facts once the story is aired.

Best Wishes,

Yours Sincerely,