Will you apologise now? Netizens ask news anchor Sushant Sinha for giving clean chit to Anil Masih
Anil Masih admitted in SC of tampering with ballot papers in Chandigarh mayoral polls
New Delhi: In what turned out to be major development on Monday regarding the alleged ballot paper tampering during last month's Chandigarh mayoral election, Times Now Navbharat news anchor Sushant Sinha has found himself in the spotlight. Sinha, who also runs a YouTube channel, had staunchly defended the Chandigarh returning officer, Anil Masih, in the face of damning accusations.
Masih had been accused of putting marks on Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress votes, a claim that gained traction when CCTV footage surfaced, seemingly showing Masih tampering with ballot papers. Sinha, however, had come to Masih's defense, suggesting that the video portrayed a routine electoral process rather than intentional tampering. He insinuated that the opposition, particularly the BJP's rivals, was manipulating the narrative to their advantage.
The tables have now turned as Anil Masih has admitted to adding a mark on eight cast ballots that he later declared invalid. These marked ballots played a crucial role in the victory of the now-resigned BJP mayor, Manoj Sonkar.
Masih attempted to justify his actions by claiming that he marked ballots that were already defaced by councillors during the voting process. According to Masih, these additional marks were meant to differentiate the ballots and prevent confusion.
However, the Chief Justice of India, D.Y. Chandrachud, rebuffed Masih's defense, pointing out that the rules did not provide for such additional markings on ballot papers. The bench emphasized that Masih's interference with the election process warranted prosecution.
The Supreme Court has now taken matters into its own hands, deciding to personally examine the ballots on Tuesday, February 20. The bench ordered the production of the ballot papers, currently in the custody of the registrar general of the Punjab and Haryana high court, for this purpose. Furthermore, the presiding officer, Anil Masih, has been directed to be present during the hearing.
In the wake of this development, social media users were quick to criticize Sushant Sinha for his earlier defense of Masih, particularly as the Supreme Court's actions were seen as a sharp rebuke to what has been dubbed 'Godi Media.' Sinha's initial support for Masih, now proven misguided, has drawn widespread condemnation on various social media platforms, with users questioning if Sinha will come out publicly to apologise for his actions of giving clean chit to Masih.
This guy @SushantBSinha defended Chandigarh returning officer when the whole world saw him putting marks on AAP & Congress votes.
— Amock (@Politics_2022_) February 19, 2024
Today, Anil Masih has accepted his fault and agreed that he cheated.
Will Sushant Sinha apologize for his B&D behavior?#ChandigarhMayorElection pic.twitter.com/nlz4hgvf0Q
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2 men dragged for 300 metres by truck in Agra; locals save their lives
Agra, Dec 23: A truck driver dragged two people for about 300 metres in Agra under his vehicle, police on Monday said.
Some locals forced the driver to stop the truck and extricated the men from under the vehicle.
Police arrested the driver and seized the truck.
The two men, both residents of Nunhai in Agra, were going towards Rambagh from Waterworks when they met with an accident around 11 pm Sunday.
The driver, instead of stopping the truck sped up, trapping both of them underneath, police said.
"In the accident, two youths were dragged by a canter driver for about 300 metres. Later, some residents saved the youths by stopping the driver using force," Chhatta Police Station Inspector Pramod Kumar told PTI.
"The youths were sent for treatment at a nearby hospital and are still being treated, but are in stable condition. The youths were from Agra. The canter driver was arrested and the canter seized after the incident," he said.
A video of the incident that surfaced on social media showed the men shouting for help.
The video was purported to have been shot by a person passing by on a two-wheeler.
“पिछली पोस्ट में वीडियो में युवकों को मोटर साइकल सहित ट्रक वाला कई मीटर तक घसीटता हुआ ले जाता गया देखा था,
— Umashankar Singh उमाशंकर सिंह (@umashankarsingh) December 23, 2024
अब जनता द्वारा उस ट्रक ड्राइवर की ठुकाई पिटाई का समारोह देखिए।”#Agra@madanjournalist
pic.twitter.com/Qh5ncyWtEa
HORRIFYING!
— Sanjay Kishore (@saintkishore) December 23, 2024
In Agra, a truck driver dragged two men for 300 meters. Locals intervened, stopping the truck and saving the men. Both are stable but continue receiving treatment. The driver has been arrested and the truck seized.
pic.twitter.com/1ply5wemfX
