Turkish channel sued by J&K Students Association for using fake pics of Kashmiri students

The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association sent a legal notice to Turkey-based Outlet TRT World on Monday for using and broadcasting fake images of three Kashmiri students while referring to an Agra sedition case. The Association sent a copy of the legal notice, through their lawyer Aamir Masoodi claiming defamation of the three students and seeking compensation of Rs. 1 Crore for exposing their lives to high-risk and loss of career, education, and reputation.

National Spokesperson of the J&K Students Association Nasir Khuehami claimed that TRT World broadcasted news content without verifying actual facts regarding the students who were arrested in Agra for celebrating and cheering in support of the Pakistan cricket team after a recent T-20 World Cup Match.

The notice reads, "TRT World displayed the photographs of other three Kashmiri students namely Talib Majeed, Basit Ahmad Sofi, and Aamir Mohidin Wani who are currently studying in Karnataka India, claiming that they were languishing jail and are facing sedition charges for praising Pakistan. The claim is totally baseless, highly libelous, and concocted."

'Students have no connection with Agra sedition case'

The notice further states that all three students have no direct or indirect connection with the Agra sedition case and they are all studying in Karnataka's Hubbali through Prime Minister's Special Scholarship Scheme (PMSSS). "They were once maliciously arrested in the year 2020 for raising objectional slogans, but were released, shifted to the mainstream, and are living their normal life peacefully," it added. 

"Without plausible and concrete facts and with ulterior motives, TRT World caused mental agony to the three Kashmiri students and their families. Because of their actions, photographs of all the innocent students were circulated for the next 24 hours and people throughout the country started abusing them," Khuehami said in the notice. 

TRT must tender an unconditional apology to these three innocent Kashmiri students, failing which we shall proceed with defamation proceedings as advised by our legal team, he said while challenging TRTs' Claim.

The three students — Arsheed Yusuf, Inayat Altaf Sheikh, and Showkat Ahmed Ganai — were arrested for allegedly sharing anti-India messages on WhatsApp after Pakistan’s victory in the match, police had said. They are currently lodged at the Agra district jail.